Training Course on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) for Health

Module 1 – Introduction to WASH and Health
Subtopics:
Importance of WASH in achieving public health outcomes.
Global burden of WASH-related diseases (diarrhea, cholera, typhoid, neglected tropical diseases).
Links between WASH and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 3, 6).
WASH in different contexts: communities, schools, healthcare facilities, and humanitarian emergencies.
Practical Activities:
Case Study: Impact of WASH interventions on child mortality in sub-Saharan Africa.
Group Exercise: Mapping WASH-health linkages in participants’ contexts.

Module 2 – Water Supply, Quality, and Safety
Subtopics:
Sources of water: surface, groundwater, rainwater harvesting.
Water treatment and purification methods (household and community levels).
WHO guidelines on drinking water quality.
Water safety planning and risk assessment.
Climate change and water security challenges.
Practical Activities:
Demonstration: Low-cost household water purification techniques.
Exercise: Developing a water safety plan for a rural health facility.

Module 3 – Sanitation Systems and Waste Management
Subtopics:
Types of sanitation systems: pit latrines, septic systems, sewerage.
Safe fecal sludge management.
Solid waste management and health risks.
WASH in institutions: schools, markets, refugee camps.
Innovative sanitation solutions (eco-toilets, decentralized systems).
Practical Activities:
Group Work: Designing a sanitation system for a peri-urban community.
Case Study: Success of community-led total sanitation (CLTS) programs.

Module 4 – Hygiene Promotion and Behavior Change
Subtopics:
Hand hygiene and its role in preventing infectious diseases.
Menstrual hygiene management (MHM) in schools and communities.
Hygiene behavior change theories and models (COM-B, Health Belief Model).
Role of community health workers and schools in promoting hygiene.
Hygiene in emergencies (outbreak response, refugee settings).
Practical Activities:
Role Play: Designing a culturally appropriate hygiene campaign.
Demonstration: Proper handwashing techniques and facilities setup.

Module 5 – Integrating, Monitoring, and Sustaining WASH Programs
Subtopics:
Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks for WASH interventions.
Key indicators: access, usage, quality, sustainability.
Financing and governance of WASH programs.
Integrating WASH into health and nutrition programs.
Building climate resilience and sustainability in WASH systems.
Practical Activities:
Exercise: Developing an M&E plan for a WASH intervention.
Capstone Project: Participants design a WASH program for their own context, including water, sanitation, hygiene, and sustainability strategies.

Course Outcomes
Strong understanding of WASH-health linkages and global frameworks.
Ability to design and implement water, sanitation, and hygiene programs.
Practical skills in promoting hygiene behavior change.
Tools for monitoring, evaluating, and sustaining WASH interventions.
Completed WASH program design (capstone project) ready for implementation.
Certificate of completion