January 2000 at EHP

New Web Site Launched. On January 5 EHP launched this completely renovated web site. The basic structure that you see here will be expanded during the month. The renovated site will introduce new features, such as Question of the Month and Who’s Who in Environmental Health. Eventually, the EHP library database will be searchable online and the site will be available in French and Spanish. Feedback about our expanded site is welcome.

Nicaragua: Emergency Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Environmental Health Program Now Underway. EHP is providing technical assistance to a USAID mission project to reconstruct rural water and sanitation systems destroyed by Hurricane Mitch in October 1998. Reconstruction efforts will be coordinated from an EHP office in Managua and carried out by local PVOs.  The first PVO will begin work very early in February 2000. The efforts are designed to incorporate the following integrated components: water supply, on-site excreta disposal, environmental sanitation (including solid waste management and vector control), hygiene education and behavior change, water source protection, institutional strengthening, and inter-sectoral coordination. The program will reach those in greatest need and assure that the reconstructed systems are designed and used in a way that promotes health. For more information, contact [email protected].

Lessons Learned from EHP’s First Five Years Now Available.   “EHP Lessons Learned: Working for Results in Environmental Health” consists of eight four-page illustrated fliers—one on each of eight results areas: diarrheal disease prevention, malaria prevention, community participation, risk assessment, environmental sanitation policies, behavior change, services for the urban poor, and institutional strengthening. Each flier summarizes EHP experience and presents lessons learned and outstanding issues. Contact [email protected] to obtain the whole set or just the items of interest.