Hogenakkal water supply and fluorosis mitigation project by Japan international cooperation agency (JICA) in southern India

Fluorosis known as endemic disease in India is posing a serious health problem. The increase in the demand for drinking water caused by the rapid population growth has overwhelmed the existing water treatment facilities. Instead of the dependence on fluoride-contaminated ground water, the supply of fluoride-free drinking water that comes from surface water is an urgent matter. The Government of India has started the “National Fluorosis Mitigation Program” with finding ways to supply safe and adequate quantities of drinking water to the entire population. The Government of Japan provided official development assistance (ODA) in the amount of 39,482 million yen for this project entitled “Hogenakkal Water Supply and Fluorosis Mitigation Project”. Our members of Department of Hygiene and Public Health at Osaka Medical College, Japan were invited to participate in the project as experts and consultants of fluorosis from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). We conducted the 1st survey in 2008 and the 2nd survey in 2011. The survey was carried out at a local bureau of waterworks, hospitals, primary care centers, elementary schools and rural communities in the Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts interviewing medical doctors, community leaders, technicians and general members of the population. In 2012 we invited counterpart personnel from India through JICA to provide them with training opportunity in our facilities in Osaka, where they could share the skills and knowledge of our research group. We would like to present the framework of the project, the result of the survey and proposal for the future.