Langbin, a rural community in Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State in southwestern Nigeria, revolves around a single flowing river. For its roughly 250 residents, the river is life itself—the only source of water for drinking, cooking, washing, and other daily needs. Running alongside the community’s main road, it draws residents to its banks throughout the day, where women and children gather with buckets to fetch water for their households.

But the same river that sustains the community has also become a source of harm. With no lasting support from local authorities and packaged water too costly for many families, residents have little choice but to keep relying on untreated water from the open, exposed river. Over time, troubling health problems have emerged. Many residents—especially children—have experienced a recurring and alarming symptom: passing blood in their urine, a sign associated with exposure to contaminated water. As waterborne illness has quietly spread through household after household, the river has come to embody both survival and risk.

I visited Langbin in December 2020 during a medical outreach organized for the community, where residents received free consultations, medication, and basic care. Led by a team of 30 medical professionals, including doctors and support staff, the outreach included testing for schistosomiasis, a waterborne disease caused by parasites found in contaminated water. Several cases consistent with the disease were identified during the visit, reinforcing residents’ longstanding concerns about the river’s impact on their health.

This outreach was a one-time intervention to support communities with limited access to healthcare. Following the medical outreach, many residents reported relief after receiving treatment, with symptoms improving in the short term. But the underlying conditions remained unchanged. With no alternative water source available, the community continues to rely on the same river for daily survival.