Children prone to waterborne diseases

Young children derive pleasure in playing in and around stagnant pools of water and parents have been warned to keep them away from such places to avoid diseases such as malaria, cholera and bilharzia.

"Swimming in rivers and even playing around in muddy contaminated water must be avoided at all costs. Parents need to always keep their children from such water as it may be dangerous to their health," said Dr Paul Nashara, public health specialist at the Francistown City Council. Dr Nashara said that in the previous year, the country experienced high numbers of Bilharzia in children because they were playing in contaminated water.He said that most people urinating in water accelerate the spread of bilharzia.