Replicating Bangladesh toilet success in poor countries would save over 500,000 lives each year

Bangladesh remains one of the poorest countries in the world. On a per person basis, Bangladeshi’s have half the income of people in India or Pakistan.

Bangaldesh was able mostly defeat diarrhea because they built latrines for the poorest and shamed the rest to make their own.

Yet, Bangladesh (12 per 100,000) has four to five times less deaths per 100,000 people than India (58.8 per 100,000) and three times less than Pakistan (36.2 per 100,000).

If Africa, India and other countries could replicate the success of building latrines and toilets and convincing people to use them, then the world could save 600,000 to 700,000 lives each year out of 820,000 who currently die from diarrhea.