A survey of sanitation situation in Yen Khanh and Kim Son district, Ninh Binh province in 2016

Abstract

     Good sanitation is important for the control of many diseases, especially those caused by biological agents such as bacteria, viruses, parasites .... Study to document problems with sanitation and to suggest appropriate solutions are essential. Methods: A total of 211 head of households in Kim Dong, Kim Tan (Kim Son district), Khanh Thuy, Khanh Thanh (Yen Khanh district, Ninh Binh province) were interviewed in 2016. Results: The main sources of water were from wells (77.25% of house) and rainy storage (62.09%) with many houses using both sources. Theoverall rate of tape water use was low (36.02%) and this rate in Kim Son district (27.18%) was lower than in Yen Khanh district (44.44%). Most of households (80.57%) had a flush toilet with 9% having toilets with two - separated compartments. Overall 10.43% of homes had unsanitary latrines, more in Kim Son compared to Yen Khanh district. 59.24% of households had fishponds with more in Yen Khanh than in Kim Son. A small rate of households were using human (1.9%) or animal faeces (9%) to feed fish. Keeping animals was very common with 70.14% households having dogs, 61.61% having cat and 43.60 having pigs. The percentages of dogs and cats had specific areas to toilet were very low (6.16 and 1.9%). Only 41.23% of households used separate cutting boards for food preparation. Conclusions and Recommendations: Investment in water sources and sanitary latrines is needed, especially in Kim Son district. Education about appropriate sanitation behaviors such as not using human or animal faeces in fish culture; the management of nightsoil or using separate cutting boards for food preparation should be implemented.