Final answer:
Public sanitation involves managing waste and water to prevent infectious diseases, with nearly 300,000 children dying each year due to poor sanitation. Handwashing, education, vaccinations, and proper medical care are key strategies in combating waterborne diseases. Safe management of water and sanitation services is essential for public health.
Step-by-step explanation:
Public sanitation refers to the management of waste and water supply to protect public health by preventing the spread of infectious diseases. This term includes services such as garbage collection, wastewater treatment, and the provision of clean drinking water. Efforts to control waterborne diseases include personal hygiene practices like handwashing, public health education, and access to vaccinations and medical care. With nearly 2.2 billion people lacking safely managed drinking water and over half the world's population lacking safely managed sanitation services, poor sanitation becomes a major public health concern, causing nearly 300,000 children to die annually from diarrheal diseases linked to unsafe water and sanitation. Effective public sanitation measures, including the separation of sewer systems to prevent untreated sewage from entering waterways, play a critical role in preventing disease and promoting community health.