On the occasion of this year's World Health Day with the motto 'Staying healthy - Protecting oneself against infectious diseases', Malteser International points out the great danger of infectious diseases in the context of poverty.

Cologne. It is annoying and an unpleasant topic which is preferably avoided; in the end, it is commonly known that Coke and salt sticks help best: this is diarrhoea for people in Europe. In development countries and crises areas, however, infectious diseases with diarrhoea are one of the five main causes of death. 'In countries in which clean water, soap and toilets are luxury, there are worldwide 6,000 children dying every day due to the high dehydration. That are 120 school classes - day after day', Marie Theres Benner, Senior Health Coordinator of Malteser International, reports.

'Water is the key. Germfree drinking water and hygiene measures are indispensable to prevent the spreading of the agents', Benner explains. Thus, washing hands with soap is one of the most important measures to reduce diarrhoea illnesses: 'Surveys have proven: soap can save lives by stopping the distribution of the germs. In fact, in a refugee camp in Thailand we were able to reduce the number of infections about 30 percent within two years only by the regular distribution of soap.'

'At the same time, water is the most important 'medicine' against the germs by preventing the dangerous dehydration. 15 litres of water per person per day are essential to live', Benner continues. This is exactly what is missing in developing countries: while every person in Germany consumes 126 litres of water per day on average, 1.1 billion people worldwide have no access to clean water. 2.5 billion live in slums or poor villages under inadequate hygiene conditions. After catastrophes, the situation is exceptionally serious. Floods and earthquakes destroy wells, canalisation and sanitary facilities; in refugee camps people live in cramped surroundings.

Thus, Malteser International is committed to improve the water and health care supply in many countries: by means of education on health and hygiene, the construction of water pipes, rain water tanks, wells and latrines as well as waste and sewage disposal. 'Projects such as the one in Thailand are a good start, but no more than a start. The vision must be that one day, diarrhoea is as trivial in all countries as it is in Europe', Benner says.

For its projects, Malteser International appeals for donations:

Donation Account 120 120 120 Bank fuer Sozialwirtschaft, Woerthstr.15-17, D-50668 Koeln Sort Code 370 205 00, IBAN : DE49 3702 0500 0001 0258 01, BIC: BFSWDE33XXX Reference: 'Malteser International'

Attention editorial offices! Marie Theres Benner, Senior Health Coordinator of Malteser International, is available for interviews. Please contact +49 (0) 221 / 9822 - 155.

For more Information please contact: Petra Ipp, Senior Desk Officer Communication, Malteser International Phone: +49-221-9822-155, Fax +49-221/9822-179; petra.ipp@malteser-international.org; www.malteser-international.org