What’s on your WASH list this Christmas?

Yes, you read that right. With Christmas just a few winks away (yup, konting tulog na lang and that’s even less for nocturnal creatures like us for whom sleep is a luxury), the WASH Caravan got moving at Bgy. Bagong Lupa, Baseco Compound in Port Area, Manila last Saturday.

What’s WASH?

WASH is a moving caravan that brings messages, products and services to people and communities in the hope of increasing public awareness on the importance of water, health, hygiene and sanitation as key to poverty alleviation and sustainable development.

WASH stands for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for All Manila Campaign being undertaken in cooperation with the Asian Alliance of Appropriate Technology Practitioners (Approtech Asia) and the Non-formal Education Services (NEFS) of the Division of City Schools, Manila.

So how WASH the launch?

Well, barangay folks had a splash as it was declared a WASH Day with a string of activities to bring home the message of health and hygiene to the people of Baseco. There were demonstrations on soap-making, the preparation of Budbod Sustansya nutritious toppings and oral rehydration solutions as well as a seminar on personal hygiene and health. To cap it all, the newest hero of health and hygiene was introduced to everyone: Captain WASH. Also, the bubbly WASH Bubbles song was heard for the first time.

Did you know that even now that we’re into the 21st century and more and more households are acquiring computers, there are still some 1.1 billion people on earth who are without access to water supply while 2.4 billion are without adequate hygiene and sanitation? Oh, yes, sometimes when it floods, there’s so much water in the streets and not a drop in the faucet for drinking.

Of course, we can’t emphasize enough the importance of clean water in every home. The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) has undertaken an advocacy campaign worldwide to raise public awareness on the need for safe water, sanitation and hygiene. At the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg in September 2002, world leaders vowed to reduce the number of people without safe water and adequate sanitation by half by the year 2015.

After the Manila launch, the WASH Caravan will move on to other communities in the Philippines and eventually, to other Southeast Asian countries. Amazing, WASHn’t it?

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For more information, call WASH Manila c/o Asian Alliance for Appropriate Technologies, ground floor, PSDC Bldg., Real corner Magallanes St., Intramuros, Manila at 527-6514; fax 527-3744 or e-mail at ajoramos@info.com.ph.

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Beware Of Toilet Seats!

There’s increasing concern about toilet seats (and that’s no toilet humor). Especially those in public toilets (and particularly in places where water supply is a problem). Fact is, most people squat when using toilet seats. But did you know that squatting on (or hovering over) a toilet seat can cause urinary problems, like reduced flow and an increased susceptibility to urinary tract infection? So, while you’re trying to avoid a problem, you’re actually getting into a bigger problem.

Health experts say it’s virtually impossible to disinfect a toilet seat. According to microbiologist Chuck Gerba, the only way to sterilize a toilet is to douse it with alcohol and set it on fire. But dear folks, please don’t try this at home!

Findings show that public restrooms are often contaminated with invisible intestinal bacteria. These were found not just on toilet seats but also on flush and tap handles as well as doorknobs. Apparently, some of these bacteria come from people’s hands. But what unsettles bacteriologists even more is "aerosolization," which is what happens when you flush the toilet. What happens is that tiny water droplets fly into the air in a microbial mist. When they settle, those bugs are left on the surfaces where they landed, according to Joe and Teresa Graedon in their The People’s Pharmacy. Which is why experts recommend that you keep your toothbrushes as far away from the toilet as possible.

So, how much alcohol should you use to disinfect yourself after using the toilet? Should you disinfect your toilet seat at home every day? Sad to say, according to experts, there are no answers to these questions. In the first place, we’re not even sure if there’s anything to worry about. But here’s one friendly tip you may want to follow: When using a public restroom, choose the first cubicle. Gerba explains why: "Everyone avoids that one because they think everyone else uses it."