Programme Villages assainis, indicateur WASH et évolution des maladies d’origine hydrique dans le groupement d’Irhambi-Katana

Le Programme national village assaini de la RDC s’inscrit dans une stratégie de développement autocentré impliquant les comités et les familles dans l’action de développement durable qui se réalise avec le concours et la participation des bénéficiaires. En milieu rural, un bon niveau d’instruction est nécessaire pour adopter de bons comportements en matière d’eau, d’hygiène et d’assainissement en vue de l’amélioration de l’état de santé des populations. L’étude porte sur plusieurs aires de santé du groupement d’Irhambi-Katana et examine l’évolution des maladies d’origine hydrique ainsi que les conditions de certification des villages assainis. Les résultats soulignent l’amélioration des conditions sociosanitaires dans plusieurs aires de santé, tout en montrant que certaines zones n’ont pas bénéficié d’interventions suffisamment efficaces. L’étude recommande la poursuite et l’extension du Programme Villages Assainis.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo's National Healthy Village Program (Programme National Village Assaini) is part of a self-centered development strategy that involves committees and families in sustainable development efforts, achieved with the help and participation of the beneficiaries themselves. In rural areas, a good level of education is necessary to adopt appropriate behaviors in this field to improve the population's health status. This issue affects 70% of people living in rural areas of the DRC. The program relies on the management and proper use of water, hygiene, and sanitation. This issue is of paramount importance for improving the health status of populations, especially in rural areas, where literacy rates are lower than in urban areas. Unsafe water is a major vector for waterborne diseases, including cholera, typhoid fever, amoebic dysentery or amebiasis, poliomyelitis, simple and bloody diarrhea, schistosomiasis, protein-calorie malnutrition, malaria, and filariasis, among others. Poor sanitation conditions, scarcity and poor quality of drinking water, and inadequate hygiene practices are major killers of young children, particularly those under 5 years old. The Healthy Village Program began its activities in the Katana rural health zone in 2006 through the following process: collecting health data via disease logic diagrams related to WASH, followed by information and training on the program. Villages with the highest disease burden according to the logic diagrams were selected to benefit from the program's interventions. The process was designed to lead to village certification. Achieving certification required completing eight steps, culminating in a positive evaluation with a minimum score of 80%. This score Is confirmed by meeting seven specific standards: 1. A dynamic village committee 2. Access to safe drinking water 3. Basic sanitation coverage 4. Proper household waste management 5. Good hygiene practices 6. Sufficient knowledge of disease transmission 7. Open defecation-free (ODF) status The study targets the health areas of Mugeri, Kabushwa, Kabamba, Ihimbi, Kadjucu, and Mabingu. While the program improved socio-sanitary conditions in these health areas, certain areas along the northern axis (Kadjucu, Kabushwa) and the south-eastern axis (Irambira, Cishugi, Lugendo, Ibinja, Ishungu) did not receive effective interventions. The Congolese government should continue this program in these villages and many others across the country.