Health and Sanitation Programs Report

Environmental Health

branch of public health that deals with the study of preventing illnesses by managing the environment and changing people's behaviour to reduce exposure to biological and non-biological agents of disease and injury

Environmental Health

mainly focuses on preventing diseases, which is more cost-effective than curing and treating diseases.

Epidemiological Triad

Man-Disease

Agent-Environment Triad

Agent

The microorganism that causes the disease

Host

The agent infects this which then carries the disease, and can have symptoms

Environment

External factors that affect the spread of disease but are not directly a part of the agen or the host

man–disease agent–environment relationship

the host can reduce the risk of disease by modifying the environment in ways that prevent the agent from entering the body.

environmental impact assessments

nother approach to preventing disease and protecting health which evaluate changes in the environment, such as water quality, waste management, and sanitation practices which may affect public health and guide decision-making for safer environmental practices.

Environmental Impact Assessment (SAMDM)

1. Screening and Scoping

2. Assessment of Environmental Risk

3. Mitigation

4. Decision Making

5. Monitoring

Environmental Sanitation

the study of all factors in man's physical environment, which may exercise a deleterious effect on health, well-being, and survival.

Environmental and Occupational Health Office (EOHO), under the National Center for Disease Prevention and Control of the Department of Health

responsible for promoting healthy environmental conditions and preventing environment-related diseases through effective sanitation strategies.

EOHO

implements these programs in coordination with local health authorities, guided by the comprehensive Sanitation Code of the Philippines (PD 856, 1975).

HOSPITAL WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS

are the systematic handling, segregation, treatment, and disposal of wastes generated in healthcare facilities such as hospitals, clinics, laboratories, and diagnostic centers.

TYPES OF HOSPITAL WASTES

1. Infectious Waste – items contaminated with blood and body fluids (used bandages, gloves, swabs).

2. Sharps Waste – needles, scalpels, broken glass.

3. Pharmaceutical Waste – expired or unused medicines, vaccines.

4. Chemical Waste – disinfectants, solvents, laboratory reagents.

5. General (Non‑Hazardous) Waste – paper, plastics, packaging similar to household garbage.

IMPORTANCE OF PROPER WASTE MANAGEMENT

1. Protects public health – stops hazardous and infectious materials from causing disease.

2. Protects healthcare staff and waste handlers – reduces risk of injury and infection.

3. Prevents environmental contamination – improper disposal can pollute air, soil, and water.

4. Legal and ethical compliance – hospitals must follow regulatory standards to operate safely.

HOW IS HOSPITAL WASTE HANDLED AND PROCESSED?

1. Segregation

2. Containment

3. Storage

4. Transportation

5. Disposal

RA 8949, the “Clean Air Act of 1999

DOH HWM guidelines/policies shall be guided by existing legislative health and environmental law policies on waste management. However, the passage of __________,” now makes it unlawful to use incinerators in hospitals and LGU garbage disposal facilities.

FOOD SANITATION PROGRAMS

undergo rigorous appraisals to ensure public safety. Food establishments shall be appraised as to the following sanitary conditions

Regulatory Compliance

1. Inspection

2. Permitting

3. Ratings

Personnel Health & Training

1. Health Certificates

2. Medical Testing

3. Education

FOUR RIGHTS IN FOOD SAFETY

Right Source ● Right Preparation ● Right Cooking ● Right Storage

Not more than two hours

All cooked foods should be left at room temperature for NOT more than _____ to prevent multiplication of bacteria.

1) (at least or above 60 degrees centigrade)

2) (below or equal to 10 degrees centigrade)

Be sure to store food under hot conditions (1)_______ or in cold conditions (2)________. This is vital if you plan to store food for more than four to five hours. Microbial organisms easily multiply within the 10-60 degrees centigrade temperature.

70 degrees centigrade.

Reheat stored food before eating. Food should be reheated to at least?

WATER SUPPLY SANITATION PROGRAMS

the most critical and extensively programmed area of environmental health in the Philippines. Providing safe drinking water and adequate sanitation facilities to all Filipinos remains a central development goal supported by international frameworks, national legislation, and multi-stakeholder programming.

Legal Framework & PD 856 Water Service Level Standards (Types)

1. Level 1: Point Source

2. Level 2: Communal Faucet System

3. Level 3: Individual Connections

Level 1: Point Source

Protected well or developed sprig without distribution network. Serves 15-20 households within 250 m radius.

Level 2: Communal Faucet System

Reservoir with piped distribution; communal faucets not more than 25m from the farthest household.

Level 3: Individual Connections

Fully piped waterworks system with individual household connections. Urban: 61% access. Rural: 25% access — a critical equity gap.

Key Governing Policies of WATER SUPPLY SANITATION PROGRAMS

1. PD 856 – Code of Sanitation (1975):

2. Philippine WASH Master Plan:

3. RA 9275 – Clean Water Act:

4. PWSSMP (NEDA, 2021)

PD 856 – Code of Sanitation (1975)

Defines water service levels and standards, it remains the foundational legislation, defining service levels and sanitation standards.

Philippine WASH Master Plan

Universal access by 2028 (DOH/DILG) emphasizes integrated water resource management, improved sanitation facilities, and hygiene behavior promotion

RA 9275 – Clean Water Act

Governs water quality and pollution control

PWSSMP (NEDA, 2021)

Peer-reviewed by World Bank & PIDS; targets SDG 6. It was formulated by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) from 2017 and approved in 2020, serves as the overarching policy document for the sector.

Key Government Water Supply Sanitation Programs

1. Sagana at ligtas na Tubig para sa lahat (SALINTUBIG)

2. National Sewage and Septage Management Program (NSSMP)

3. Philippine Approach to Total Sanitation / Zero Open Defecation Programs

4. Integrated Water Resource Management

Sagana at ligtas na Tubig para sa lahat (SALINTUBIG)

Targeted ~455 waterless municipalities. PIDS evaluation identified institutional weaknesses, governance constraints, and implementation gaps as key barriers. A PIDS evaluation of SALINTUBIG alongside the earlier President's Priority Program for Water found that while the programs expanded access, they fell short of targets due to "institutional framework weaknesses, capacity and governance constraints, and fundamental gaps in program implementation".

National Sewage and Septage Management Program (NSSMP)

Addresses critical gap: only 10% of wastewater is treated nationally. ● Promotes decentralized treatment systems and nature-based solutions.

Philippine Approach to Total Sanitation / Zero Open Defecation Programs

Community-led behavioural change to eliminate open defecation. ~10 million Filipinos still practiced open defecation per 2014 annual poverty indicators Survey (NSO). PhATS promotes community-led total sanitation approaches to eliminate open defecation and improve household sanitation facilities.

Integrated Water Resource Management

Ecosystem wide approach balancing competing water demands from agriculture, industry, and domestic use. Supports SDG 6 (Clean water and sanitation) targets on clean water and sanitation.

OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION PROGRAMS

1. SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS

2. EXCRETA AND SEWAGE DISPOSAL PROGRAMS

3. VECTOR CONTROL PROGRAMS

4. HOUSING AND PUBLIC PLACE SANITATION

5. POLLUTION CONTROL PROGRAMS
   

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS

refers to the proper collection, segregation, transport, treatment, and disposal of solid wastes from households, institutions, and industries.

Legal Basis:

Republic Act No. 9003 – Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 This law mandates waste segregation at source, establishment of Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs), and closure of open dumpsites.

EXCRETA AND SEWAGE DISPOSAL PROGRAMS

Proper disposal of human waste prevents water contamination and the spread of diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and dysentery.

Approved Sanitary Facilities:

● Water-sealed toilets ● Septic tanks ● Sewerage systems

Related Program of EXCRETA AND SEWAGE DISPOSAL PROGRAMS

1. National Sewerage and Septage Management Program (NSSMP)

● Promotes proper septage treatment ● Encourages local government sewerage projects ● Addresses low wastewater treatment coverage

VECTOR CONTROL PROGRAMS

aim to reduce or eliminate disease-carrying organisms such as mosquitoes, flies, and rodents.

National Dengue Prevention and Control Program - Implements the 4S Strategy:

1. Search and destroy mosquito breeding sites

2. Secure self-protection

3. Seek early consultation

4. Support fogging during outbreaks

HOUSING AND PUBLIC PLACE SANITATION

Ensures that homes, schools, markets, and recreational areas meet sanitary standards.

Sanitary Requirements:

● Adequate ventilation and lighting ● Safe water supply

POLLUTION CONTROL PROGRAMS

Environmental sanitation also addresses air, water, and land pollution.

POLLUTION CONTROL PROGRAMS (Key Laws)

Republic Act No. 8749 – Clean Air Act of 1999

Republic Act No. 9275 – Clean Water Act of 2004