Clean Water and Clean Hands: Preventing Disease at Home

Some of the most powerful medicine in the world is not a pill. It is clean water, clean hands, safe food and a home with nowhere for mosquitoes to breed. Together these prevent a large share of the illnesses that bring people to a doctor, and they cost almost nothing.

The initials WASH stand for water, sanitation and hygiene, the everyday practices that keep a household free of preventable disease. In Trinidad and Tobago, where the rainy season, water storage and mosquito borne illness all come into play, these habits matter a great deal. Here is how to get them right.

Safe water at home

Water can look perfectly clear and still carry germs that cause diarrhoea and vomiting. If you are ever unsure whether your water is safe to drink, the surest way to make it safe is to bring it to a rolling boil, then let it cool before use.

Many homes here store water in tanks and drums, and stored water needs care. Keep every storage container covered with a tight lid, so that dust, dirt, animals and mosquitoes cannot get in. Clean tanks and drums regularly. Take drinking water out with a clean cup or a tap rather than dipping hands or a dirty container into the store, which is a common way water becomes contaminated.

The single best habit, clean hands

Handwashing is the most effective disease prevention there is, and it is almost free. Germs travel from surfaces and waste to the mouth on hands, so washing them breaks that journey.

Wash with soap and clean running water, scrubbing all parts of the hands for about twenty seconds, then dry them. The moments that matter most are after using the toilet, after changing a baby, before preparing or eating food, after handling raw meat, after coughing or sneezing, and after coming home from outside. Where soap and water are not available, an alcohol based hand sanitiser is a good stand in.

Food hygiene in the kitchen

A lot of stomach illness starts in the kitchen. A few habits prevent most of it. Keep raw meat, poultry and fish away from food that is ready to eat, and use separate boards and knives, or wash them thoroughly in between, to avoid spreading germs.

Cook food thoroughly, especially chicken and other meats. Keep hot food hot and cold food cold, and do not leave cooked food sitting out in the warmth for long, because germs multiply quickly in our climate. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and reheat them fully. Wash fruit and vegetables with clean water before eating them raw.

Sanitation and waste

Keeping human and household waste away from living and food areas is central to health. Use a clean, working toilet, keep it clean, and always wash hands afterwards. Dispose of household rubbish in covered bins and have it cleared regularly, because uncovered waste attracts flies, rodents and mosquitoes and holds water where they breed.

Clear standing water and stop the mosquitoes

Mosquito borne illnesses such as dengue are a real concern in Trinidad and Tobago, and the mosquito that spreads dengue breeds in small pools of clean, still water right around the home. Removing those breeding sites is one of the most valuable things a household and a community can do.

Once a week, look around your yard and empty, cover, turn over or throw away anything that holds water. Common culprits include old tyres, buckets, plant pot saucers, discarded containers, blocked gutters and drains, and covers or tarpaulins that collect rain. Keep water storage tightly covered, since these serve as breeding sites too. Protect yourself as well, with repellent, screens on windows and doors, and by covering up at the times mosquitoes bite most.

What to do next

Pick one habit and start this week. Cover the water tank. Set up soap at every sink. Do a weekly walk around the yard to tip out standing water. These small routines, kept up by a whole household, prevent a surprising amount of illness. And if someone does fall ill with a stomach bug or a fever that worries you, book a consultation, or come to Accident and Emergency for the warning signs above.

This article is for general education only and is not a substitute for personal medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider about your own health. If you believe you have a medical emergency, call or visit our 24-hour Accident and Emergency department immediately.