Sunday, January 27, 2008

Cost of the Conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan

In August 2007, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated the cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts at US$1,000,000,000,000 (US$1 Trillion).
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/16/AR2007111600865.html

The US population is approximately 301,139,947 (July 2007 est.) (CIA World Fact Book).

According to my calculator, that works out to over US$3,320 for every man, woman and child in the United States.

Diarrhea and Preventable Deaths due to Dehydration

According to UNICEF, 4,500 children die each DAY from unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation facilities.

Almost half of the nearly two million deaths from diarrhea each year could be prevented through an understanding of basic hygiene.

According to the Centre for Global Development, currently, 1 out of every 200 children who contract diarrhea will die of its consequences, including particularly dehydration. Almost all of these deaths could be prevented with the timely use of a simple and low-cost treatment for dehydration.

Cost and Cost-Effectiveness: The average cost per child treated with oral rehydration therapy was estimated at $6. The cost per death averted was between $100 and $200.