Helwan, Egypt; washing a water buffalo

Helwan, Egypt, south of Cairo; a farmer washing his water buffalo in an irrigation canal which connects to the River Nile. The Nile and its man-made canals are the life-blood of Egypt but are also responsible for its most serious endemic disease, schistosomiasis. This is a parasitic infection carried by the Bilharzia worm (Schistosoma haematobium or Schistosoma mansoni) and spread to humans by water-dwelling snails. In 1990, about 25% of the total population of Egypt, including 36% of all villagers, did not have access to safe water for drinking and food preparation. Use of unhygienic water was the major cause of diarrhoeal diseases. Photographed January 1990.