Hygiene and Public Health

Unhygienic Practices not only affects the family of an individual but also has an impact on the society at large. Due to such practices micro-organisms breed every where and expose every body, including the hygiene conscious man to the risk of being affected. Indiscriminate practices have a more disastrous impact. They lead to the outbreak of epidemics- which takes a heavy toll on human life. Children in particular are affected the most. So maintaining proper hygiene benefits both an individual and the society.

Some essential steps needed to keep the society by and large hygienic are

• Human Excreta needs to be disposed safely. This can be achieved by building household latrine. The latrines must be kept clean.
• Proper disposal of waste water, through well maintained outlets into high drains. It must not be allowed to stagnate.
• Outlets, gutters and high drains must remain covered. They must be cleaned regularly to avoid choking.
• Garbage should be dumped at proper places. Care should be taken to dispose non bio degradable wastes in garbage bins.

• Animal excreta must be removed and the place be cleaned thoroughly. Domestic animals must be housed in clean places and the cleanliness must be maintained.
• Open urination or defecation must be out rightly discouraged.
• Streets, lanes and by lanes must be kept clean. They also need to be washed regularly.

But all this can be achieved by creating awareness. And this can be done only by forming male and female community health and hygiene workers who on a regular basis undertake and perform services beneficial to the society. Including school children in such initiatives is imperative