After one to five years, the risk of coronary artery disease drops to half that of a smoker, the lung cancer death rate goes down by one half, and the risk of stroke becomes the same as for nonsmokers. The risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, oesophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas also goes down.

Dr Saw Lwin – a deputy director of the Department of Health, and the program manager of the NMP – said that about 700,000 people a year come to hospitals exhibiting malaria-like symptoms, but after testing, only about half of them are found to have malaria, with the rest suffering from other diseases.

Among the diseases that can be contracted by drinking unsanitary water are dysentery, anemia, cholera, dengue fever, hepatitis and typhoid fever. Millions of people, particularly children and the elderly, have died from these and other preventable, waterborne diseases.

A woman who remains healthy throughout her childhood and adult life will be better able to deliver healthy children when she gives birth, said Dr San San Myint, who works in the neonatology unit of the Yangon Central Women’s Hospital.