KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE ON SOLAR WATER DISINFECTANT AT HOUSE HOLD WATER TREATMENT IN MAALIM SALAT LOCATION, WAJIR COUNTY

Abstract

In the developing world, and especially in Africa, water related diseases account for 80% of the disease burden, and contribute to over 5 million deaths, where it is estimated to kill over 3million people every year, the overwhelming majority being children. To counter this problem, Solar Water Disinfection (SODIS) has been promoted in most of the developing countries including Kenya. SODIS is a simple method of household water treatment that uses transparent PET-bottles and sunlight to disinfect drinking water and exposed to the sun for 6 hours. During this time, the UV-radiation of the sun kills diarrhoea generating pathogens. The SODIS-method helps to prevent diarrhoea and thereby is saving lives of people. This study aimed at determining knowledge, attitude and practice on solar water disinfectant at House hold water treatment in Maalim Salat location, Wajir County. A cross-sectional design was used because it is more cost-effective and easy to carry-out in this area with a very short time. Systematic sampling procedure was employed to determine knowledge, attitude and practice on solar water disinfectant at House hold water treatment in Maalim Salat location, Wajir County. Information was collected using interviewer-administered questionnaire, the data was sorted, cleaned-out then entered and evaluated for Chi-square and analysis of variance using latest SPSS programme package. The analyzed data was summarized and presented using frequency tables, graphs, central tendency and standard deviations. The study found that most of the households in Maalim Salat Location had knowledge on SODIS, although a good number had no knowledge on SODIS. In addition, most of the household heads know how SODIS works but a good number do not know how it works. The study also found that most of the households in Maalim Salat Location were not using SODIS water treatment method despite the fact that the method was found to be really effective. It was further revealed that most of the households in this study were not using SODIS water treatment method. Further, the house holds that were using SODIS method had experienced problems or challenges with the SODIS method. Establishing a good follow-up network, in the case of NGOs, or service practices, in the case of manufacturers, that educates the user in the appropriate manner could help increase the knowledge of Maalim Salat Location residents. This study therefore recommends that SODIS practitioners need to be trained carefully and then have ongoing monitoring after training.