Addressing problems of water supply and sanitation can be part of improving maternal and child health care (54). If such problems are not addressed, they can undercut other health measures. For example, a study in Nigeria found that, even though guinea worm was prevalent and known to affect many mothers and small children, primary health care providers did not focus on provision of safe water as a health measure (211).

In general, public health and disease control programs have not been concerns of water resources development projects, which typically focus on potential economic benefits. Nor have most municipal planners taken into account the community health benefits to be achieved from water-related projects, in addition to such benefits as power generation, irrigation, flood control, and water supply (95). So strong are the links between clean water provision, sanitation, and good health that better coordination among health care providers, development agencies, and water management agencies should become a major concern in all of these sectors.