WASH KAP and Coverage Survey in Refugee Sites – Shire Region Hitsats Camp, 2017 (Ethiopia)
Abstract
Hitsats Refugee Camp is located in the Tigray regional state of Ethiopia, at about 1092 km from the capital, Addis Ababa. The camp population is 10,361 (December, 2017 UNHCR). The camp hosts Eritrean refugees having different ethnic groups where the majorities are Tigrigna and Saho and some minorities of Tigre and Belian.
Hitsats refugee camp was opened in May 2013 and the International Rescue Committee Ethiopia Environmental Health program has been working in the camp since May 5, 2013 with core mandate to provide safe water and sanitation services. The Environmental Health (EH) program is designed with the main objective of preventing mortality and morbidity due to diarrhea and other water borne diseases.
The knowledge, attitude and practice (KPC) survey was conducted in December 2017 to serve as an end line survey for 2017 and as a baseline survey for 2018. 171 households were interviewed.
Objective of the survey was to assess the improvements and gaps in knowledge, practice and coverage of Hitsats refugee community in relation to water, sanitation and hygiene promotion.
In general, the study revealed the gravity of the identified problems, which focuses on latrine, water, hand washing practice, solid waste management and the risk of diarrhea disease.