Hygiene and Health

Oxfam’s work on public health promotion supports the engagement of affected populations in the planning, design and most effective use of water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure and products, and brings them together with key stakeholders to identify and reduce public health risks. It encompasses WASH-related disease preparedness and response, through providing sufficient and accurate information around disease, health, and hygiene, and creates space for two-way dialogue around community needs and pre-emptive actions to reduce the occurrence and impact of disease.

Technical Brief
Handwashing

Background It is now well known that handwashing with soap has a greater impact on morbidity from diarrhoeal disease than any other single intervention…

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Cholera Outbreak Guidelines

This practical field guide brings together lessons learned from Oxfam’s past interventions in the prevention and control of cholera, and other related guidance. The…

Technical Brief
Handwashing Stations

BACKGROUND Handwashing is a critical practice that is promoted to protect public health, especially during outbreaks of infectious diseases such as COVID-19. Handwashing stations…

Minimum Requirements
Malaria, Dengue and Vector Control

Oxfam’s malaria and dengue programming promotes an evidence-based approach, targeting regions where malaria or dengue carries the greatest risk of mortality and morbidity. A…

Technical Brief
Cholera Activity Guide

Public Health: Disease Outbreak Preparedness & Response Planning For Acute Watery Diarrhoea (Awd) & Cholera PART I: PREPAREDNESS Objective: Increase communities’ capacity to respond…

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Mum’s Magic Hands

Mum’s Magic Hands (MMH) is an approach jointly developed by Oxfam and Unilever’s Lifebuoy soap. It encourages behaviour change in key areas like handwashing…

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Ebola

Oxfam believes that understanding communities, building trust and working collaboratively to overcome barriers to seeking out and accessing appropriate health care services is at…

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Covid-19 Response

Covid-19 affects those with weakened immune systems more severely; Oxfam is particularly worried about the potential for Covid-19 cases to affect people already experiencing…

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The Oxfam Handwashing Station

The Oxfam Handwashing Station (OHS) has been designed through a collaborative process with designers, behavioural architects, public health professionals, and rigorously field tested and…

Technical Brief
Hepatitis E Outbreak Response

Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) is an emerging waterborne virus endemic in regions with poor/limited sanitation and hygiene, including large parts of Asia, Africa and…

Technical Brief
Hygiene Kits

Introduction Oxfam distributes hygiene kits to support hygiene promotion and watsan activities in most Humanitarian situations. The terms ‘hygiene kits’, ‘NFIs’ and ‘NFRIs’ are…

Technical Brief
Menstrual Hygiene Management

Women’s Menstrual Hygiene Needs in Emergencies Responding appropriately to women’s menstrual hygiene needs in emergencies is an essential component of water, sanitation and hygiene…

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Humanitarian Programmes and HIV and AIDS – A Practical Approach to Mainstreaming
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Medical isolation facilities in outbreak responses
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Malaria Control Manual
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Shop vouchers for hygiene kits in Port-au-Prince, Haiti
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Information, Education and Communication (IEC) in WASH emergencies E-Learning Course

This interactive course will place you into a simulated emergency context and challenge you to complete tasks related to designing, implementing, and monitoring effective…

Minimum Requirements
Cholera and other Diarrhoeal Outbreak Control

Cholera response is most effective where preparedness measures have already been put in place. It is vital to be aware of the national guidelines…

Minimum Requirements
Public Health Promotion

Handwashing Proper hand washing (preferably with soap or a substitute such as ash or sand and vigorous rubbing of hands) when performed at critical…