ENVIRONMENTAL

HYGEINE
SOCIAL AWARENESS PROGRAMME

SUBMITTED TO:

DR. SMRITI ARORA SUBMITTED BY:

DHANANJAY KUMAR JHA

MARCH 20, 2018

AMITY SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
AMITY UNIVERSITY GURUGRAM, HARYANA
Amity University Gurugram
Amity School of Engineering &Technology
DHANANJAY JHA, SUMIT KUMAR,
RAHUL RANJAN, MRINAL RAJ RANA, NITESH KUMAR
ABSTRACT

The subject of this study is to research about people’s behaviour when they hear about environment
or hygiene of environment. The aim is to find out the level of awareness of the importance of
ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE. The purpose of this study is to figure out what kind of images
peoples have about the hygiene and do they see it as an important thing for an individual or
community.

The theoretical framework of this research consists of environment, hygiene and also importance
of ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE. Theoretical part also includes an insight on people’s
behaviour generally but also specifically when maintaining ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE.

The empirical part of the study was implemented as a quantitative research where the target
population were all the Finnish people who are maintaining ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE or
not maintaining.

From the results of the study it can be concluded that the images of hygiene are quite important
for peoples. Hygiene can be held as an important and attractive thing for a society since according
to the results of the survey, most of the respondents could imagine maintaining hygiene in the
future. However, the awareness level in Gurgaon is still relatively moderate and would need more
social awareness program to raise the awareness level and also to prevent many kind of dieses.
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ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE education helps people understand and

develop hygiene practices to prevent disease and death in their community.
Before we talk anything about ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE we have to
know about what basically environment and hygiene is.

Environment
The environment compasses not only the natural surroundings - the air, the water,
the plants and animals used for food - but also shelter, modes of transportation and
all other products of technology, including pollutants and waste materials; all of
which interact to affect health. Environmental considerations become increasingly
important during these times of changing emphasis in the fields of energy,
economics and technology.

Hygiene
Hygiene is a set of practices performed to preserve health. According to the World
Health Organization (WHO), "Hygiene refers to conditions and practices that help
to maintain health and prevent the spread of diseases. Personal hygiene refers to
maintaining the body's cleanliness.
Many people equate hygiene with 'cleanliness,' but hygiene is a broad term. It
includes such personal habit choices as how frequently to bathe, wash hands, trim
fingernails, and change clothing. It also includes attention to keeping surfaces in the
home and workplace, including bathroom facilities, clean and pathogen-free.
Some regular hygiene practices may be considered good habits by a society, while
the neglect of hygiene can be considered disgusting, disrespectful, or threatening.
Both personal and community health are important for the well-being of an
individual as well as the community. Health may be affected by the environment,
availability of quality food and other necessities which are depended on
community hygienic practices.

Personal health/hygiene - Brush your teeth, cut your nails, have a bath daily, wear
clean clothes, eat nutritious food, have regular eating habits, Follow a disciplined
life, Exercise regularly
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Community health/Hygiene consider the following situations

1. Garbage is not collected for many days. As a result, it forms a breeding ground
for mosquitoes and flies beside leading to bad odor
2. There is an outbreak of an infectious disease like dengue/malaria.
Now, these conditions will going to affect us (as a disease) at the individual level
and are the result of community unhygienic practices so community hygiene is
Important.

HOME HYGIENE
Home hygiene pertains to the hygiene practices that prevent or minimize the spread
of disease at home and other everyday settings such as social settings, public
transport, the workplace, public places etc.
Hygiene in a variety of settings plays an important role in preventing the spread of
infectious diseases. It includes procedures used in a variety of domestic situations
such as hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, food and water hygiene, general home
hygiene (hygiene of environmental sites and surfaces), care of domestic animals, and
home health care (the care of those who are at greater risk of infection).
The main sources of infection in the home[7] are people (who are carriers or are
infected), foods (particularly raw foods) and water, and domestic animals. Sites that
accumulate stagnant water—such as sinks, toilets, waste pipes, cleaning tools, face
cloths—readily support microbial growth and can become secondary reservoirs of
infection, though species are mostly those that threaten "at risk"
groups. Pathogens (potentially infectious bacteria, viruses etc.—colloquially called
"germs") are constantly shed from these sources via mucous membranes, feces,
vomit, skin scales, etc. Thus, when circumstances combine, people are exposed,
either directly or via food or water, and can develop an infection.
Good home hygiene means engaging in hygiene practices at critical points to break
the chain of infection.[7] Because the "infectious dose" for some pathogens can be
very small (10-100 viable units or even less for some viruses), and infection can
result from direct transfer of pathogens from surfaces via hands or food to the
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mouth, nasal mucosa or the eye, 'hygienic cleaning' procedures should be sufficient
to eliminate pathogens from critical surfaces.
Hygienic cleaning can be done through:

 Mechanical removal (i.e., cleaning) using a soap or detergent. To be effective

as a hygiene measure, this process must be followed by thorough rinsing under
running water to remove pathogens from the surface.
 Using a process or product that inactivates the pathogens in situ. Pathogen kill
is achieved using a "micro-biocidal" product, i.e.,
a disinfectant or antibacterial product; waterless hand sanitizer; or by
application of heat.
 In some cases, combined pathogen removal with kill is used, e.g., laundering of
clothing and household linens such as towels and bed linen.

Hygiene in Kitchen, Bathroom & Toilet

Routine cleaning of (hand, food, drinking water) sites and surfaces (such as toilet
seats and flush handles, door and tap handles, work surfaces, bath and basin
surfaces) in the kitchen, bathroom and toilet reduces the risk of spread of
pathogens.[15] The infection risk from flush toilets is not high, provided they are
properly maintained, although some splashing and aerosol formation can occur
during flushing, particularly when someone has diarrhea. Pathogens can survive in
the scum or scale left behind on baths and wash basins after washing and bathing.
Water left stagnant in the pipes of showers can be contaminated with pathogens that
become airborne when the shower is turned on. If a shower has not been used for
some time, it should be left to run at a hot temperature for a few minutes before use.
Thorough cleaning is important in preventing the spread of fungal
infections.[16] Molds can live on wall and floor tiles and on shower curtains. Mold
can be responsible for infections, cause allergic responses, deteriorate/damage
surfaces and cause unpleasant odors. Primary sites of fungal growth are inanimate
surfaces, including carpets and soft furnishings.[17] Air-borne fungi are usually
associated with damp conditions, poor ventilation or closed air systems.
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Water related issues

Many people take for granted training they have received in healthy, hygienic
practices, often during childhood, but information and knowledge about bacteria,
hygiene, and disease is not widely available in many areas of the world.

ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE education and good hygiene are important tools in

preventing infectious diseases from spreading throughout a community.
Successful hygiene education will inspire real and lasting improvements to current
hygiene practices and promote good attitudes towards community hygiene.
Practicing good hygiene is also a behavioral change – one that everyone can make
whether they are rich or poor, young or old, educated or not.

When it comes to hygiene, community members must depend on the knowledge and
concern for each other to stop disease transmission. Unsafe practices at the water
source, like a well, hand pump, or spring, can contaminate the drinking water for the
whole community. In places where people walk and do business, pathogens causing
diarrhea and other illnesses pass along feet and hands, and eventually to food and
mouths, quickly. In homes or gathering places, contaminated food, water, and other
surfaces can put entire communities at risk of serious, even fatal, outbreaks and
illnesses.

Water-borne diseases like diarrhea spread easily when community members do not
practice good hygiene. Individuals within a community have a crucial role in
hygiene practices and hold a responsibility to their fellow community members to
promote good health and a clean environment. Everyone in the community must
wash their hands, safely dispose of feces, and safely handle food and water. If they
do not, members of their household and the community at large suffer through the
spread of disease.

Nearly one billion people practice open defecation, which spreads harmful bacteria
both on surfaces and in the ground.

[i] Unhygienic handling of water during transport or within the home can
contaminate previously safe water. Hands are vehicles for transmitting harmful
pathogens to food, water and mouths.
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Good community hygiene can also be a cheap way to make a big impact on the
health of a village. Hygiene is one of the least expensive, most cost-effective changes
that can be made with immediate rewards in quality of life. Studies show that the
simple act of washing hands with soap can decrease the risk of diarrheal disease in
a community by 47 percent.

[ii] This helps community members feel much better, return to work or school, and
spend less money on medical care for sick family members.

Hygiene is a vital link between water, sanitation, and health. Life water’s mWASH
program ensures lasting health benefits from safe, clean water and adequate
sanitation facilities by educating communities in the importance of good hygiene
and equipping them with the knowledge and desire to achieve sustainable solutions.
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GOOD HEALTH IS AN ASSET FOR INDIVIDUALS

AND THEIR COMMUNITIES.

There are large numbers of factors which affect our health are clean water and a
clean environment which help to remain healthy. while others such as germs and
stressful environment cause diseases and disorders.

Community Hygiene and Personal Hygiene both are connected affect each other.

It is damn important .
Community hygiene can be called preventive treatment for most of the diseases.
1. About 97 % of diseases are borne out of unhygienic water conditions.
2. Deadly diseases like cancer are result of environmental man made waste
like plastics, fast foods, synthetics etc. They can be prevented by
community awareness and hygiene.
3. Most of the people catch diseases out of unawareness. Community hygiene
and awareness can be very helpful for people's participation in mass
awareness.
4. Old Indian culture and values like use of filtered drinking water, avoiding
meals after sunset, waking up before sunrise etc were inclined towards
providing healthy and meaningful life.
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SANITATION
Sanitation refers to public health conditions related to clean drinking water and
adequate treatment and disposal of human excreta and sewage. Preventing human
contact with feces is part of sanitation, as is hand washing with soap. Sanitation
system aim to protect human health by providing a clean environment that will stop
the transmission of disease, especially through the fecal-oral route. For example,
diarrhea, a main cause of malnutrition and stunted growth in children, can be reduced
through sanitation. There are many other diseases which are easily transmitted in
communities that have low levels of sanitation, such as ascariasis (a type of intestinal
worm infection or helminthiasis), cholera, hepatitis, polio, schistosomiasis,
trachoma, to name just a few.

PURPOSE
The overall purposes of sanitation are to provide a healthy living environment for
everyone, to protect the natural resources (such as surface water, groundwater, soil),
and to provide safety, security and dignity for people when they defecate or urinate.

Effective sanitation systems provide barriers between excreta and humans in such a
way as to break the disease transmission cycle (for example in the case of fecal-
borne diseases). This aspect is visualized with the F-diagram where all major routes
of fecal-oral disease transmission begin with the letter F: feces, fingers, flies, fields,
fluids, food.

One of the main challenges is to provide sustainable sanitation, especially in

developing countries. Maintaining and sustaining sanitation has aspects that are
technological, institutional and social in nature. Sanitation infrastructure has to be
adapted to several specific contexts including consumers' expectations and local
resources available.

Providing sanitation to people requires attention to the entire system, not just
focusing on technical aspects such as the toilet, fecal sludge management or the
wastewater treatment plant. The "sanitation chain" involves the experience of the
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user, excreta and wastewater collection methods, transporting and treatment of

waste, and reuse or disposal. All need to be thoroughly considered.

Sanitation is needed to:

Protect and promote health:

 Keeping disease carrying waste and insects away from people, toilets and
homes
 Break the spread of diseases
 Prevent spreading of waterborne diseases
 Improve the health and quality of life

Protect the environment against pollution

 Keeping disease carrying waste and insects away from the environment
 Prevent environmental pollution (air, soil and emission)
 Prevent contamination of water resources (surface and ground water)
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TYPES OF SANITATION
The sanitation process involves disposing of waste properly, so it does not threaten
the environment or public health. There are four types of sanitation methods:
filtration, landfills, recycling and ecological. Practicing proper hand washing and
surface cleaning techniques are all part of best sanitation practices.

Filtration
Filtration involves sterilizing water and filtering away waste products, so it is safe
for use and consumption. According to the Sanitation Training website, this process
involves passing water through a filter, which separates solid and liquid waste
products. After adding pure oxygen and ozone, the water passes through a smaller
filter. Once this process is complete, a water handler adds chlorine to the water,
killing any remaining bacteria.

Landfills
Carrying waste products to a landfill is another type of sanitation service. According
to the Sanitation Training website, city garbage workers transport waste to a
temporary holding place, or landfill. The purpose is to isolate the solid waste from
residential areas to avoid spreading diseases.

Recycling
Sanitation also includes recycling. Trained workers at recycling plants sort paper,
plastic and other recyclables from a general conveyor belt to one specifically for
each. Garbage workers sort leftover trash on the general conveyor belt into piles
arranged by type. Separated recyclables are crushed and reprocessed, thereby
preparing it for reuse. Separated trash goes to the landfill. The Sanitation Training
website cites paper, glass, plastic, and metal as materials that are easily recyclable.
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Ecological
This concept involves the installation of toilets, especially in developing countries
where open defecation take place. The building and maintenance of safe, clean
toilets is paramount, according to the World Health Organization. In addition,
ecological sanitation involves teaching proper hand washing techniques before
handling food and after handling excrement. According to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, you should wash your hands with soap and water for at least
20 seconds, or to the tune of "Happy Birthday" twice.

Diseases caused by lack of sanitation

Relevant diseases and conditions caused by lack of sanitation and hygiene include:

 Waterborne diseases, which can contaminate drinking water

 Diseases transmitted by the fecal-oral route
 Infections with intestinal helminths (worms) - approximately two
billion people are infected with soil-transmitted helminths worldwide;
they are transmitted by eggs present in human faeces which in turn
contaminate soil in areas where sanitation is poor.
 Stunted growth in children
 Malnutrition, particularly in children
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Awareness of health issues

The awareness of individuals about health is fundamental to promoting a healthier
village. If people do not understand the causes of ill-health and how they can
improve their health they cannot make decisions about investing resources and time
to improve their village, or about lobbying for outside assistance. Such awareness
should be developed in all areas that influence health because the different influences
are often interrelated. Unless people accept that they need an improved environment,
better personal hygiene and better access to adequate health care, investments aimed
at improving health may have only limited impact. It is also essential that community
members are aware that improvements in their environment or hygiene need to be
sustained to achieve long-term improvements in their health. Both community
leaders and governments play important roles in developing this awareness.

Personal hygiene
Personal hygiene is essential both for improving health and for sustaining the
benefits of interventions. For example, if injuries and minor cuts are not kept clean,
they may become infected and lead to further health problems. And even though
water supplies and sanitation facilities may be constructed in a community, unless
people use these facilities properly and wash their hands after defecation, store water
safely, bathe, and clean clothes and utensils properly, diseases caused by poor water
and sanitation may still exist.

Health care
All people suffer from disease at some point in their lives and may need to seek
medical advice and treatment. Small children in particular may be prone to illnesses
that require treatment and there are several infectious diseases for which
immunization is recommended (which should be carried out or supervised by trained
medical staff). In all cases, the health outcomes are profoundly affected by whether
health care facilities are available to the people. Community leaders should therefore
lobby national and regional service providers to locate health care facilities as close
to communities as possible and preferably within the community itself.
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Identifying health problems and establishing priorities

To improve the health of people in a community a number of problems may need to
be resolved. While it is better to address these problems in an integrated way, it may
be necessary to establish priorities and deal with the most pressing issues
immediately. This situation could arise, for example, if communities or service
providers have limited resources and can tackle only a few problems at a time.
Community members may also have different perceptions of the main problems:
people living in low-lying areas prone to flooding may feel that drainage is the major
problem to be resolved, whereas those living in higher areas may be more concerned
with water supply. If external bodies alone are responsible for prioritizing the issues,
the priorities may not reflect community concerns and there may be a more limited
sense of community ownership of a project.
Two questionnaires are provided in this guide that allow community members to
identify major health issues in their community and establish health priorities.
However, to ensure that community priorities are understood and that needs are met,
it is essential to involve the different stakeholders in a community. Women and men,
rich and poor, children and the elderly, and different ethnic and religious groups may
all have different health priorities, and while it may not be possible to accommodate
every view, the final list of priorities should reflect what most people believe are
important health issues. To identify health problems in a community, community
members should try to answer the questions listed below and then discuss the most
pressing issues. During the discussion community members can try to list (or rank)
the problems identified in order of importance.

Assessing community perceptions about health

To help identify the most important health problems in a community, the perceptions
of community members about health should be assessed. It is important that all
sections of the community are involved in these assessments. Different methods for
achieving this goal are discussed below.

One way to find out what people think is to use a community questionnaire. Because
questionnaires may be answered by many people (sometimes, every household in
the community) they can provide good information about the perceptions of
community members towards health problems and health priorities. However,
questionnaires have limitations. Frequently, it may be difficult for community
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members to devise their own questionnaires and the information collected may
require sophisticated analysis. As a result, it is likely that nongovernmental
organizations (NGOs) or local government staff will administer the questionnaires,
rather than community members. Nevertheless, the community should always ask
for feedback on the findings. Because the questions must be defined before the
information is collected, the information will be limited to these issues.
Questionnaires may not therefore be flexible enough to include other issues of
importance to the community. household in the community) they can provide good
information about the perceptions of community members towards health problems
and health priorities. However, questionnaires have limitations. Frequently, it may
be difficult for community members to devise their own questionnaires and the
information collected may require sophisticated analysis. As a result, it is likely that
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or local government staff will administer
the questionnaires, rather than community members. Nevertheless, the community
should always ask for feedback on the findings. Because the questions must be
defined before the information is collected, the information will be limited to these
issues. Questionnaires may not therefore be flexible enough to include other issues
of importance to the community. (Household in the community) they can provide
good information about the perceptions of community members towards health
problems and health priorities. However, questionnaires have limitations.
Frequently, it may be
difficult for community members to devise their own questionnaires and the
information collected may require sophisticated analysis. As a result, it is likely that
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or local government staff will administer
the questionnaires, rather than community members. Nevertheless, the community
should always ask for feedback on the findings. Because the questions must be
defined before the information is collected, the information will be limited to these
issues. Questionnaires may not therefore be flexible enough to include other issues
of importance to the community.

A focus group discussion is a technique that brings together groups of people to

discuss a particular issue, often in an informal setting, the role of the group facilitator
is to help the group to identify key issues related to the topic under discussion, while
allowing sufficient flexibility to cover all aspects of the topic to everyone’s
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satisfaction. To help foster agreement about the key issues, it is better to establish a
goal or objective that the whole group agrees with from the outset. For example, the
goal may be to decide which problems are most important to resolve. Sometimes
people may give responses that are not relevant, or that appear silly or amusing to
the other group members. It is important that people do not feel they are being
ridiculed for their views. This can be accomplished by saying, for example, “That is
a good point, but maybe we need to discuss the relevance of this.” Problems may
arise during group discussions which can lead to biased answers or dissatisfaction
among group members. For example, the discussion may be dominated by a few
individuals who express their point of view forcefully and prevent others from fully
participating. Lack of contribution by some members may also be a problem and it
may be necessary to directly ask such individuals what they think about a particular
issue. However, care should be taken not to appear too aggressive or insistent since
some people find it hard to talk in front of others. One approach that may help
everyone to feel comfortable during discussion is to select individuals from specific
groups, such as women or young people, rather than include a mix of people in the
discussion. To overcome problems in group discussions, it is important to set ground
rules at the outset of the discussion which all members agree to abide by. If this is
not done, the discussion may become heated, some people may dominate the group
and others may feel disappointed with the discussion.

OUR GROUP VISIT

Our group visited New Delhi, Gurugram and some nearby villages of our campus
for checking and awaring about the environmental hygiene.
We tried to know how they are living basically what are their state of living and what
they think about their surroundings, are they really aware about the things that they
are doing with the environment and so on.
We divided our groups into two and did our own checking’s how the things are being
going on and if there is any requirement of such things we can help them to do so.
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Basically in our visit we tried to aware the village people and other people about the
ENVIRONMENT HYGEIENE and hygiene how they should try to remain hygienic
so that they can also aware the rest of people too specially the elder one.
We tried to reach as many of the children of the areas because we think as to bring
changes we should first start these things with the children because they are the good
source of learning and also giving and spreading knowledge to others. Because they
are those things who are going to live in the future it’s also their responsibility to
sustain the resources and also keep their environment neat and clean so that
everything in the future will remain safe for other and all these can be start with the
ENVIRONMENTAL HYGEINE.
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QUESTIONS ASKED BY OUR GROUP TO THE RESPONDENTS

DURING THE SURVEY.
Identifying causes of community health problems
• What types of water supply does the community have?
• Is the water source protected and/or treated?
• How much water is collected by households?
• Is the water always available?
• Does everyone have access to water?
• Does the community know the quality of the water?
• Are there special places for bathing and laundry?
• Do households have some form of sanitation?
• What types of sanitation are there?
• Are there separate facilities for women (in areas where mixed facilities are
unacceptable)?
• Is solid waste disposed of, or does waste build up in the village?
• How is solid waste disposed of?
• Are there stagnant or standing bodies of water in the community?
• Is there a system of drainage in homes and for the community?
• Is there a market in the community?
• Is the market area cleaned every day?
• Is the market dirty?
• Is meat sold at the market?
• Is the meat always fresh?
• Are market vendors careful with personal hygiene and do they keep their hands
clean?
• Does the market have water supply and sanitation facilities?
• Are chemicals used or stored in the community?
• How are they stored?
• How are chemicals disposed of?
• Do houses in the community have many windows?
• What cooking fuel is used in the community?
• Where do people cook in the community?
• What materials are used for house construction?
• Are mosquitoes, flies and other insects common in the community?
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• Are rats and other vermin common?

• Are cattle or other domestic animals kept close to homes?
• Are the same bodies of water used for washing, laundering and receiving
human and animal wastes?
 What are the major problems? List them in order of importance to the
community.
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Common water and sanitation-related diseases

Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea is caused by a variety of micro-organisms including viruses, bacteria and
protozoans. Diarrhoea causes a person to lose both water and electrolytes,, which
leads to dehydration and, in some cases, to death.

Excreta is the main

cause of childhood
diarrhoeal diseases.
About 4 billion cases of diarrhoea per year cause 1.8 million deaths, over 90 per cent
of them (1.6 million) among children under five. Repeated episodes of diarrhoeal
disease makes children more vulnerable to other diseases and malnutrition.

Diarrhoea is the most important public health problem directly related to water and
sanitation. The simple act of washing hands with soap and water can cut diarrhoeal
disease by one-third. Next to providing adequate sanitation facilities, it is the key to
preventing waterborne diseases.

Arsenicosis
Long-term exposure to low concentrations of arsenic in drinking-water causes
painful skin keratosis (hardened lesions) and can result in cancers of the skin, lungs,
bladder and kidney. Millions of people are potentially in danger from arsenic
poisoning since they rely on water supplies that are contaminated with arsenic
(mainly from natural sources) and do not have a safe water alternative or are unaware
of the risks.

Read more about arsenic in the fact sheet — Water quality: Safe water – save lives.
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Source: WHO

Cholera
Cholera is an acute bacterial infection of the intestinal tract. It causes severe attacks
of diarrhoea that, without treatment, can quickly lead to acute dehydration and death.
Cholera is a world-wide problem, especially in emergency situations. It can be
prevented by access to safe drinking water, sanitation and good hygiene behaviour
(including food hygiene). In 2002, over 120,000 cholera cases were reported
worldwide.

Fluorosis
Fluorosis is a serious bone disease caused by high concentrations of fluoride
occurring naturally in groundwater. Fluorosis is endemic in at least 25 countries
across the globe. The total number of people affected is not known, but a
conservative estimate would number in the tens of millions.

See the UNICEF briefing note on fluoride in the fact sheet — Water quality: Safe
water – save lives.

Guinea worm disease

People contract the disease (also known as Dracunculiasis) when drinking water
contaminated with Dracunculus larvae. The larvae mature into large (up to a metre
long) adult Guinea worms and leave the body after about a year, causing debilitating
ulcers.

The incidence of cases of Guinea worm disease is steadily decreasing worldwide as

a result of a concerted international initiative. However, in 2002 there were still
50,000 cases reported in a total of 13 countries in Africa.

HIV/AIDS
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A hygienic environment, clean water and adequate sanitation are key factors in
preventing opportunistic infections associated with HIV/AIDS, and in the quality of
life of people living with the disease. AIDS-affected people are more susceptible to
water-related diseases than healthy individuals, and they become sicker from these
infections than people with healthy immune systems. Maintaining a healthy
environment is essential to safeguarding the health, quality of life and productivity
of people living with HIV/AIDS.

Intestinal worms
People become infected with intestinal parasitic worms (also know as helminths)
through contact with soil that has been contaminated with human faeces from an
infected person, or by eating contaminated food.

Intestinal worms infect about 10 per cent of the population in the developing world
and, depending upon the severity of the infection, lead to malnutrition, anaemia or
retarded growth. Children are particularly susceptible and typically have the largest
number of worms. About 400 million school-age children are infected by
roundworm, whipworm and/or hookworm. In fact, roundworm and whipworm alone
are estimated to affect one-quarter of the world’s population.

Malaria
Malaria is a serious disease caused by a parasite carried by certain types of
mosquitoes. Humans are infected when bitten by the mosquitoes. Each year, there
are 300 million to 500 million cases of malaria throughout the world and about 1
million child deaths. Reducing the mosquito population in households and
communities by eliminating standing water (caused by poor drainage and uncovered
water tanks) can be an important factor in reducing malaria cases.

Schistosomiasis
Schistosomiasis (also known as bilharzia) is a disease caused by parasitic worms. At
various stages of the life cycle, worms and their eggs live in certain types of
freshwater snails, water (where they can survive for 48 hours) and human hosts.
They penetrate the skin of people swimming, bathing or washing in contaminated
water, They then cause infection and can eventually damage the liver, intestines,
lungs and bladder.
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About 200 million people are infected with schistosomiasis, 20 million of whom
suffer severe consequences. Studies have found that adequate water supply and
sanitation – which reduces contact with contaminated surface water – could reduce
infection rates by 77 per cent.

Trachoma
Trachoma is an eye infection spread mainly through poor hygiene caused by lack of
adequate water supplies and unsafe environmental sanitation conditions. About 6
million people are blind today because of trachoma. It affects women two to three
times more than men. Children are also especially susceptible. Studies have found
that providing adequate water supplies could reduce infection rates by 25 per cent.

Typhoid
Typhoid fever is a bacterial infection caused by ingesting contaminated food or
water. Symptoms are characterized by headaches, nausea and loss of appetite. About
12 million people are affected by typhoid every year.