Hydraulic ram pumps and Sling Pumps

WaterAidText only | font | Sitemap | Bookmark homepage | Add to favourites | Enewsletter>> In depth \ Technology notes \ Hygiene EducationSearch WaterAid:IntroductionHygiene education is about helping people to understand, firstly, what causes some of their healthproblems and, secondly, what preventative measures might be possible. It needs to be approached in avery sensitive way, with a great deal of respect being shown to local beliefs and practices.It is estimated that diarrhoea kills about three and a half million children each year in the developingworld. Diarrhoea is frequently caused by pathogens from human faeces entering a person’s mouth.Much, but not all, of hygiene education is concerned with explaining this route, which is called thefaecal-oral route, and suggesting ways in which it can be blocked.These notes do not attempt to tackle the whole range of topics in hygiene education; they concentrateon providing information about the faecal-oral transmission route and how it might be blocked.The faecal-oral transmission route, which causes diarrhoeaIf pathogens from human faeces enter a person’s mouth and are swallowed, they will cause diarrhoea.If proper treatment is not given, this can prove fatal, particularly to children. The pathogens can enterthe mouth in a number of ways; these include:●●●●●Directly from a person’s hands or fingers; pathogens get onto the hands or fingers if:❍❍hands are not washed after a person has defecated, orhands come into contact with someone else’s faeces on the ground(such as when small children are crawling, or playing, on the ground or when adults clearup a child’s faeces.)Indirectly from a person’s hands, if not washed after defecation:❍❍❍from food which has been prepared by themfrom food which is eaten with dirty handsfrom cups or other utensils, handled by dirty handsFrom food: If this has been contaminated by flies which settle first onexcreta, in a latrine or on the ground, then transfer faecesto food by settling on it.From water: If it has been contaminated by faeces.From soil: If this contains faeces, they can be transferred:❍by hands which are not washed before eating, orhttp://www.wateraid.org.uk/site/in_depth/technology_notes/807.asp (1 of 3) [1/13/2005 12:50:21 PM]