The relationship between basic sanitation and public health in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau

This paper has assessed the relationship between public health costs and the implementation of basic sanitation in the capital of Guinea-Bissau. Six scenarios have been analyzed, including three sanitary sewage system options (a collective system with a collection network and a sewage collection station, an individual simplified pit latrine system and a full collective system with a collection network, and a lift station and sewage treatment plant), and two water supply system scenario options (direct collection and a complete system with collection, storage, and distribution). Regarding public health, the costs with human resource and social assistance programs, medicaments, vaccines, and hospitalizations related to malaria and cholera waterborne diseases have been considered. The cost ratio of 4.29 for the most efficient basic sanitation scenario was similar to the numbers found in literature. In other words, for every dollar invested in basic sanitation, the approximate savings in health are 4.3 dollars. Also, potential cost-scenario ratio curves are very useful in poor countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, because of the lack of public and basic sanitation expenditure data for these regions.