Pollution, onsite sanitation, health education, fecal-oral

Pollution

Pollution is the introduction by humans or nature of harmful substances or energy (pollutants) into the environment – air, water, soil – in amounts that damage health, living organisms, property or the climate. Types: air, water, soil, noise, thermal, radioactive and light pollution. Examples: vehicle smoke, sewage in rivers, plastic waste in soil.

On-site sanitation

On-site sanitation is a system where human excreta are collected, stored and treated at the place where they are produced, without a sewer network – e.g. pit latrine, VIP latrine, pour-flush latrine, septic tank with soak pit, ecosan toilet. It is cheap and suitable for rural Nepal; the pit should be at least about 15 m from a water source.

Health education

Health education is the process of giving people knowledge and motivation to adopt healthy behaviour – using toilets, washing hands, treating drinking water, keeping food clean. Without it, toilets and water systems are not used or maintained properly. In Nepal it is spread through FCHVs, schools, radio and community groups.

Fecal-oral infection transmission route

Pathogens in faeces of an infected person reach the mouth of another person through the F-diagram:

             +--> Fluids (water) ------+
             +--> Fingers -------------+
 FAECES -----+--> Flies ---------------+--> FOOD --> MOUTH
             +--> Fields/soil ---------+

• Fluids – contaminated water; Fingers – unwashed hands; Flies – carry faeces to food; Fields – open defecation, contaminated soil and crops; Food – final carrier.
• Diseases: diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, dysentery, hepatitis A/E, polio, worms.

Effective prevention measures

1. Sanitary toilets for every household and no open defecation (primary barrier).
2. Hand washing with soap after toilet and before eating or cooking.
3. Safe water: protect sources, boil, filter or chlorinate; covered storage.
4. Food hygiene: wash, cook well and cover food.
5. Fly control and solid waste management.
6. Health education, vaccination (polio, typhoid, rotavirus) and ORS for diarrhoea.