INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
In the small, crowded ward of the Upazila Health Complex in Dacope, new and expecting mothers lie exhausted beneath fans that spin noisily
There are no dividers in the maternity room shared by more than 20 women, so visiting husbands are ushered out by nurses when someone needs
attending to.View image in fullscreenPropped up on one of the beds is Sapriya Rai, 23, due any day
or soon after their baby is delivered
Diagnosed women are monitored until delivery is possible
This is normally about 37 to 38 weeks of pregnancy, earlier in more severe cases.Q-AWhy is the world's freshwater getting
saltier?ShowFreshwater is essential for drinking, irrigation and healthy ecosystems
As sea levels rise, freshwater systems around the world are increasingly being contaminated with saline water, gradually contaminating the
soil, and wreaking havoc on lands, lives and livelihoods.These salts can be dissipated by rainfall, but climate breakdown is increasing the
frequency and severity of extreme weather events, including droughts and heatwaves
This leads to more intensive use of groundwater for drinking and irrigation, which further depletes freshwater sources and allows even more
salt to leach into the soil.The climate crisis drives salinisation in several ways
Ocean temperatures are rising, and warmer water takes up more space
Ice sheets and glaciers are melting and flowing into the oceans
Rising water salinity is already influencing agricultural production and internal migration, particularly in low-lying coastal areas.Average
sea levels have risen by more than 8 inches (20cm) since 1880, with about three of those inches gained in the last 25 years
process is already pushing salty water onshore along coastlines, from Bangladesh to the Mississippi delta, and will continue to affect more
regions across the globe as the threat of climate breakdown increases.Thank you for your feedback.Rai is not unusual
Alarming numbers of pregnant women in the coastal district of Dacope, in south-west Bangladesh, have been diagnosed with pre-eclampsia,
eclampsia and hypertension
first research into the correlation between high blood pressure-related conditions among pregnant women and salt intake from drinking water
It confirmed a strong relationship between salt intake and the risk of developing pre-eclampsia and hypertension.View image in
fullscreenDacope has long been on the frontline of the climate crisis
The rural population relies on rivers, ponds and groundwater for cooking, drinking and bathing
But these natural water sources have been contaminated by varying degrees of salinity due to saltwater intrusion from cyclones and rising
aquifer recharge; a technique which collects and treats water from ponds and rooftops and injects it underground for storage and future
use.View image in fullscreenIn 2019, Khan returned to Dacope to see if these interventions had worked
She interviewed 740 women and checked to see if blood pressure levels among the local population were still as high
But due to Covid restrictions, she was unable to complete her analysis
Khan is now planning a new study with Imperial College London to assess whether the interventions have had a positive health impact on the
Kumar, gynaecologistMeanwhile in Dacope, Kumar worries the situation is getting worse
been a health worker for more than 20 years
Every day she travels to villages around Dacope, going from door to door, to speak to families about the importance of clean drinking water
says.Sarker is working with more than 5,000 pregnant women in Dacope; she visits them regularly to do check-ups and holds information
distributed among villages
size due to a lack of nutrition to the developing foetus
Children affected by early malnutrition have less immunity against diseases and are prone to respiratory tract infections, pneumonia and
other health problems.View image in fullscreenIn the busy bazaar outside the hospital, a group of men arrive on tricycles with wooden carts
filled with empty barrels and containers
A number of shops here sell clean, filtered water by the gallon.Some families take out loans to buy filtered water or large tanks
Rainwater can be harvested during monsoon season but households require a tank to store it
The Bangladesh government has installed tanks on school roofs and other buildings but people still have to travel and queue to get water.An
often-overlooked effect of salinity intrusion is on the menstrual health and hygiene of women and adolescent girls, a problem that
so when she gets her period, she uses old rags which are washed using saline water and reused
Research suggests such practices can leave women and adolescent girls exposed to various hygiene risks, such as rashes, skin diseases and
uterine infections.Mukhti Shanker, 25, used to drink groundwater from a tube well regularly before she had her baby
Despite having the highest water sodium level, tube wells are the most common source of drinking water in Dacope, highlighting an urgent
need to promote alternative sources
rainwater.View image in fullscreenDuring her pregnancy, Shanker had no idea of the impact water salinity could have on her pregnancy
After delivering a healthy baby girl, she vowed never to drink saline water again.As the sun sets on Dacope, Shanker walks around the pond
in front of her house, with 10-month-old Abonika on her hip
About 6,000 people use this communal pond every day
Women climb down steep, muddy stairs to collect pond water; moving aside dirt and floating leaves with their hands before dipping their
pitchers into the water and filling them to the brim.The women carry the heavy pitchers against their waist or on their heads and walk home
slowly, careful not to spill any
This article first appeared/also appeared in theguardian.com
