Salinity intrusion is a paramount consequence of the sea-level rise in the South-west coastal areas of Bangladesh which impacts the coastal biodiversity tremendously. Coastal communities suffer a lot from salinity as it affects both soil and water on which human well-being crucially depends. According to the World Bank, there are 30 million people living in the coastal area of Bangladesh among which 2.5 million are facing an acute crisis of fresh water.
Scientific and Academic Publishing, an open-access publisher of journals, conducted a research in 2014 which revealed that in the previous 35 years, the salinity of Bangladesh's water bodies has risen by about 26%, and by 2050, the pace will have significantly increased.
According to the World Health Organization, a person should not consume more than five grams of salt per day. But people in coastal areas have to consume more than 16 grams of salt per day, which is many times more than people in other parts of the country.
It is estimated that 20 million people living in coastal areas of Bangladesh are already facing higher exposure to diseases like hypertension due to increased salinity of the water supply. In the southwestern part of the country people suffer from rough skin, fatigue and tiredness along with sore fingers in hands and legs. Among the coastal population, women have to endure more health adversities caused by water salinity because of their greater consumption of water, as compared to men.
In previous research it is found that high blood pressure (prehypertension and hypertension) was found significantly associated with drinking saline water. People exposed to slightly saline (1000–2000 mg/l) and moderately saline (≥2000 mg/l) concentration drinking water had respectively 17% (p < 0.1) and 42% (p < 0.05) higher chance of being hypertensive than those who consumed fresh water (<1000 mg/l). Women had 31% higher chance of being hypertensive than men. Also, respondents of 35 years and above were about 2.4 times more likely to be hypertensive compared to below 35 years age group. For the 35 years and above age group, both prehypertension and hypertension were found higher than national rural statistics (50.1%) for saline water categories (53.8% for slightly and 62.5% for moderate saline).
As per public health experts, women who live in coastal regions with excessive saltwater use are more likely to have abortions as a result of climate change. Using saline water during menstruation, pregnancy, and the postpartum phase increases the susceptibility of women and girls to reproductive health issues. The grim reality of coastal regions is a higher risk of female infertility, higher rates of miscarriage and child mortality. Furthermore, consuming a lot of salt raises the risk of hypertensive problems in pregnancy, such as preeclampsia and gestational hypertension.
Among the most significant health issues women in Bangladesh's remote communities face is managing menstrual hygiene. Coastal areas, which are considered distant areas, reveal shocking information about women's menstrual hygiene routines. Young women living on the country's coast have been misusing birth control pills to stop their menstrual cycles for years.
The lack of accessibility and affordability of sanitary napkins or pads pushes women to use cloth rags that require water-wash for the purpose of reuse. Unfortunately, women have to wash the cloth rags in water sources affected by salinity which results in reproductive health difficulties. To avoid using the rags washed in contaminated and saline water, women prefer to take oral contraceptives and stop their periods.
The reasons why women use birth control pills with the intention of stopping the menstrual cycle seem logical from their standpoints. However, experts confirm that taking these oral pills without any prescription or medical advice has both a short-term and long-term impact on reproductive and mental health.
In addition, salt water is currently causing complicated ailments in women, such as uterine cancer. A statistic states that millions of women in the nation are annually at danger of developing cervical cancer, with a large proportion of these women living near the coastal areas. Women in salinity-prone villages have a greater incidence of uterine disorders. As a result, the women in this region are compelled to have early uterine cuts.
In the article titled “Water salinity, women and climate change”, the author Sayeeda Zeenat Karim claims that skin diseases, stemming from saline water, victimize women with social exclusion and denial, mental stress, and negligence by family members. To some extent, such diseases are responsible for women’s unhappy conjugal life or undervalued status in the in-law’s families.
Numerous international organizations are providing crisis management support. The residents of the coastal must take part in the government programme for its success. For any programme to be successful, awareness and participation are essential. The mass media are essential in uniting people and fostering mutual understanding. Social networking sites and community media change the way people think. Indeed, ensuring a safe water supply is a crying need in the coastal areas. At least, having been concerned about women’s health crises, the government and non-government sectors should organize pure and safe water establishments in the salinity areas. Moreover, safe management of menstrual hygiene should be made easily accessible among coastal girls and women.
The writer is a graduate of Development Studies, Khulna University. She can be reached at [email protected]
