Creating demand for sanitation and hygiene through Community Health Clubs:
Waterkeyn, J. & Cairncross, S. (2005). Creating demand for sanitation and hygiene through Community Health Clubs: a cost-effective intervention in two districts of Zimbabwe. 61. Social Science & Medicine. p.1958-1970.
Abstract: Unless strategies are found to galvanise rural communities and create a demand for sanitation, we cannot achieve the Millennium Development Goal of halving the 2.4 billion people without sanitation by the year 2015. This study describes an innovative methodology used in Zimbabwe – Community Health Clubs – which significantly changed hygiene behaviour and build rural demand for sanitation. In one year in Makoni District, 1,244 health sessions were held by 14 trainers, costing an average of US$0.21 per beneficiary and involving 11,450 club members (68,700 beneficiaries). In Tsholotsho District, 2,105 members participated in 182 health promotion sessions held by 3 trainers which cost US$ 0.55 for each of the 12,630 beneficiaries. Within two years, 2,400 latrines had been built in Makoni, and in Tsholotsho latrine coverage rose to 43% contrasted to 2% in the control area, with 1,200 latrines being built in 18 months. Although Zimbabwe has historically relied on subsidies to stimulate sanitation, this intervention shows how total sanitation could be achievable; the remaining 57% Club members without latrines in Tsholotsho all practised faecal burial, a method previously unknown to them. Club members’ hygiene was significantly different (p < 0.0001) from a control group regarding 17 key hygiene practices including hand washing, showing that if a strong community structure is developed and the norms of a community are altered, sanitation and hygiene behaviour are likely to improve. This methodology could be scaled up to contribute to ambitious global targets.
For full article in pdf, click here: Creating Demand for Sanitation and Hygiene Through Community Health Clubs
February 17th, 2008 at 11:00 am
[...] Home Hygiene Improvements: The Community Health Clubs are not just talking shops where a lot is learnt and little is done. Each week there is a little practical ‘homework’ to be done related to recommended practises to ensure prevention of the disease under discussion. Members pledge to make small changes in their own homestead before the next meeting the following week – the digging of a refuse pit, the making of a dish rack for drying plates off the ground, some means for covering drinking water, the commitment to wash hands in a more hygienic manner. This systematic approach ensures that hygiene progress is made each week. Recommendations usually require little financial outlay but merely reorganisation in the home and better hygiene practise. Behaviour change is sustained by peer pressure and levels of adherence to recommended non-risk practices are exceptionally high. Health Club hygiene has been monitored and cost effectiveness has been well documented over the past decade. (Waterkeyn 1999, 2000, 2003 , Waterkeyn & Cairncross, 2005) [...]
February 17th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
[...] provides cost-effectiveness health promotion training at less than US$1 per beneficiary per annum (Waterkeyn & Cairncross, 2005). In one year in Zimbabwe, 1,244 health sessions were carried out by 14 trainers, costing an [...]
February 17th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
[...] HIV/AIDS). For examples of the outcomes of CHC Monitoring and Evaluation, please refer to Creating Demand for Sanitation and Hygiene Through Community Health Clubs & Cost Effective Health Promotion Through Community Health [...]