3.4 Personal hygiene

Policies and actions

 

1.

Guidance:

Support the installation of hand- washing facilities, especially in homes and public places such as schools and health care facilities (see also section 12.4 Health care facilities), bus and train stations and private commercial buildings (37, 47).

Hand-washing facilities with soap and water should be available close to (usually within 5 m) of sanitation facilities (25, 37).

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Health

 

Level of implementation:

National, community

Universal health coverage

 

Instruments:

Infrastructure, technology and built environment

 

ICHI code:

VED.TK.ZZ&UAM

Provision of public infrastructure to support improved hygiene behaviours

Design, construction and building products and technology of buildings, unspecified

 

2.

Guidance:

Enforce hand-washing facilities in public places such as food establishments and markets, and include them in routine inspection and monitoring schemes (37).

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Health, industry

 

Level of implementation:

National, community

 

Instruments:

Regulation, assessment and surveillance

 

ICHI code:

VED.WI.QE&UAK

Restrictions through enforcement of laws or standards concerning hygiene behaviours

Design, construction and building products and technology of buildings for public use

 

VED.VC.ZZ&UAK

Public health surveillance concerning hygiene behaviours Design, construction and building products and technology of buildings for public use

 

3.

Guidance:

Make soap and water available to households, institutions and in public places (25, 37).

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Health

 

Level of implementation:

Community,

national

 

Instruments:

Infrastructure, technology and built environment

 

ICHI code:

VED.RD.ZZ

Provision of products to support improved hygiene behaviours

 

4.

Guidance:

Support the inclusion of culturally- and context-appropriate facilities for hand washing, anal cleansing and menstrual hygiene management into toilet design (37).

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Health,

construction

 

Level of implementation:

Community,

National

 

Instruments:

Infrastructure, technology and built environment

 

ICHI code:

VED.TI.ZZ&UAM

Prescription of products and technology to support improved hygiene behaviours

Design, construction and building products and technology of buildings, unspecified

 

Awareness raising and capacity building

 

5.

Guidance:

Promote regular hand hygiene outside of private homes such as when entering public buildings or public transport (47).

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Health, education

 

Level of implementation:

Community, national

Universal health coverage

 

Instruments:

Information, education and communication

 

ICHI code:

VED.VB.ZZ&UEU

Awareness raising to influence hygiene behaviours

Sewerage services, systems and policies

VED.PM.ZZ&UEU

Education to influence hygiene behaviours

Sewerage services, systems and policies

 

6.

Guidance:

Promote hand washing with soap after defecation and any potential contact with faeces (e.g. child faeces) (37).

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Health, education

 

Level of implementation:

Community, national

Universal health coverage

 

Instruments:

Information, education and communication

 

ICHI code:

VED.VB.ZZ&UEU

Awareness raising to influence hygiene behaviours

Sewerage services, systems and policies

VED.PM.ZZ&UEU

Education to influence hygiene behaviours

Sewerage services, systems and policies

 

7.

Guidance:

Promote hand washing with soap before handling food and during food preparation (46).                                                                                               

                                                                                                  

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Health; food

 

Level of implementation:

Community, national

Universal health coverage

                                                        

Instruments:

Information, education and communication

                                                                      

ICHI code:

VED.VB.ZZ&UAB

Awareness raising to influence hygiene behaviours

Food    

                                                                                                                                                                        

VED.PM.ZZ&UAB

Education to influence hygiene behaviours

Food

                                                                                                                                                                        

8.

Guidance:

Promote face washing for the prevention of certain infectious diseases such as trachoma (48).                                                                                                                                                                        

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Health

 

Level of implementation:

Community, national

Universal health coverage

 

Instruments:

Information, education and communication

 

ICHI code:

VED.VB.ZZ

Awareness raising to influence hygiene behaviours

                                                                                                                                                                                       

VED.PM.ZZ

Education to influence hygiene behaviours

                                                                                                                                                                                       

9.

Guidance:

Promote safe hygiene behaviours such as hand washing with soap in communities, institutions such as schools and in public places (25, 37).

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Health

 

Level of implementation:

Community, schools/child -care settings Universal health coverage

 

Instruments:

Information, education and communication

 

ICHI code:

VED.VB.ZZ

Awareness raising to influence hygiene behaviours

 

VED.PM.ZZ

Education to influence hygiene behaviours

 

10.

Guidance:

Promote the installation and availability of hand-washing facilities with soap and water (37).

 

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Health

 

Level of implementation:

Community, national

 Universal health coverage

 

Instruments:

Information, education and communication

 

ICHI code:

VED.VB.ZZ&UAM

Awareness raising to influence hygiene behaviours

Design, construction and building products and technology of buildings, unspecified

 

Selected tools

·       WHO 2020: Awareness-raising and educational material on how to hand-wash, how to hand-rub and when and how to perform hand hygiene in health care settings (49)

·       WHO 2009: Water, sanitation and hygiene standards for schools in low-cost settings (25) This includes an assessment checklist for WASH in schools.

·       WHO 2006: Five keys to safer food manual (46) The manual provides key messages, resources and training materials related to food hygiene.