To combat water-borne diseases rises in Kathmandu slums during monsoon season the local NGO Guthi, launched a safe water and hygiene campaign to make people aware about pure drinking water, hygienic food behaviour, personal hygiene and environmental sanitation. Guthi has set up around 100 booths in Kathmandu and Lalitpur slum areas and places where there is a considerable number of squatters.

The campaign was launched on May 28, 2009. Guthi was conducting community-based programmes and organizing door-to-door campaigns in collaboration with Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL), NGO Forum for Urban Water & Sanitation, ENPHO, UN-HABITAT, UNICEF and other concerned bodies. The Kathmandu Metropolitan City and Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City had promised to support the project.

The Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, under Department of Health Service has published leaflets and posters for making people aware of water-related diseases, and are using radio, TV and newspapers to spread awareness as well.

Related news:

• Nepal: Innovative communication to promote household water treatment, Source Bulletin, Feb 2009
• Nepal: celebration of successful cholera mitigation programme, Source South Asia, 22 Jan 2009
• Nepal: promotion of handwashing stepped up, Source South Asia, 31 Oct 2008

Related web sites:

• London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine - Hygiene Central
• IRC - Hygiene Promotion
• World Bank - Hygiene and Sanitation Promotion

Contact: Guthi,Nepal, mail@guthi.net, http://www.guthi.net

Source: The Himalayan Times / NGO Forum, 03 June 2009

Tags: hygiene promotion, information and communication, south asia, urban wash, water-related diseases