Water and Sanitation (Wash)

NINE AREAS OF FOCUS IN HYGIENE PROMOTION

1. Hand washing with soap at five critical times (after visiting the toilet, after changing babies nappies, before preparing food, before eating food and before drawing water)
2. Bathing and washing
3. Using bath shelters for bathing only
4. Drinking safe water
5. Using pit latrine
6. Covering pit latrine squat holes.
7. Using proper solid management systems such as refuse pits, compost heaps, graveyard, incinerators, placenta pits.
8. Using soak away pits or irrigation channels ( proper waste water disposal)
9. Using washing slab at water point for washing.

WATER & SANITATION RELATED DISEASES

Common water and sanitation related diseases:

• Diarrhoea
• Skin infections
• Dysentery
• Bilharzias
• Eye infections
• ARI
• Cholera
• Worm infection

Diseases related to poor water sanitation

• Cholera
• Diarrhoea
• Bilharzias
• Blood diarrhoea
• Typhoid fever

Food related diseases:

• Cholera
• Dysentery
• Blood diarrhoea
• Shigella
• Common diarrhea

Personal hygiene related diseases:

• Skin infections,
• Eye infections,
• Diarrhoea (dirty haws)

 

Environmental hygiene related diseases:

• Airborne e.g. TB, acute respiratory infections, measles
• Vector borne e.g. relapsing fever, malaria

Water treatment practices

• Boiling of drinking water
• Chlorination e.g. WaterGuard
• Filtration

Hygienic practices related to water and sanitation

• Wash hands before preparing and eating food
• Always use a hand washing facility installed close to pit latrine soon after using the pit latrine
• Avoid putting leaves in water containers especially when carrying pails from boreholes
• Cover water buckets/pots with lids when carrying. Do not touch water with fingers

KEY MESSAGES

• Wash hands at all critical times—before preparing food, before eating, before feeding young children, and after visiting the toilet
• Follow the four key steps for washing hands and use soap or its alternatives
• Latrines, VIPs and Hand Washing Facilities are key to blocking disease transmission
• Treating water especially for drinking, using the four methods, is an essential sanitary and hygiene practice for good nutrition and health

Good hygiene in feeding babies and young children

• Feed your baby using a clean cup and spoon
• Never use a bottle in feeding children as it is difficult to clean.
• Wash your hands with soap and water before preparing food, before eating and before feeding young children
• Separation of raw and cooked food
• Cooking food thoroughly
• Storing food at safe temperatures

All Nutrition pages:

• Malnutrition

• Water and Sanitation (Wash)

• Nutrition Powders

• Food Groups

• Breast Feeding