1. PIT/VIP TOILET AND
HAND HYGIENE IN
RURAL AFRICA
Dr. Dino Sgarabotto
Malattie Infettive e Tropicali
Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova

2. Pit toilet
• A pit toilet is a dry toilet system which collects
human excrement in a large container and range
from a simple slit trench (is the simplest type of
pit toilet, consisting of a relatively shallow (1-2
metres in depth) to more elaborate systems with
ventilation.
• A cathole is a one-time use pit toilet often
utilized by campers, hikers and other outdoor
people

3. Cat-hole latrine NO!!

4. SLIT TRENCH LATRINE
2th world war

5. 1st Gulf war «Desert Storm» 1990-1 Slit trench latrine

6. Advanced pit toilet
The pit will be larger, and covered with a supporting structure.
This structure may be simply a metal plate, or board floor - with a hole
over which the user positions themselves during use.
Two defects:
Toilet basement has to smell and flies!!
elevated to prevent surface
water to fill the toilet

10. VIP Toilet
• The ventilated improved pit latrine, or VIP, is a
pit toilet with a black pipe (vent pipe) fitted to
the pit, and a screen (flyscreen) at the top outlet
of the pipe. VIP latrines are an improvement to
overcome the disadvantages of simple pit
latrines, i.e. fly and mosquito nuisance and
unpleasant odors. The smell is carried upwards
by the chimney effect and flies are prevented
from leaving the pit and spreading disease

13. Odor Control Mechanism
• The principal mechanism of ventilation in VIP
latrines is the action of wind blowing across the
top of the vent pipe. The wind creates a strong
circulation of air through the superstructure,
down through the squat hole,across the pit and
up and out of the vent pipe. Unpleasant faecal
odors from the pit contents are thus sucked up
and exhausted out of vent pipe, leaving the
superstructure odor-free. In some cases solar-
powered fans are added giving a constant
outwards flow from the vent pipe

14. Insect Control Mechanism
• Flies, searching for an egg-laying site are attracted by
faecal odors coming from the vent pipe, but they are
prevented from entering by the flyscreen at the outlet
of the vent pipe.
• Some flies may enter into the pit via the squat hole
and lay their eggs there. When new adult flies emerge
they instinctively fly towards light. However, if the
latrine is dark inside the only light they can see is at
the top of the vent pipe. Since the vent pipe is
provided with a fly screen at the top, flies will not be
able to escape and eventually they will die and fall
back into the pit.

15. Covered with cement:
easy to keep clean!

16. Tippy-Tap hand washer
• The tippy tap is a hands free way to wash
your hands that is especially appropriate for
rural areas where there is no running water.
• It is operated by a foot lever and thus
reduces the chance for bacteria transmission
as the user touches only the soap.
• It uses only 40 millilitres of water to wash
your hands versus 500 millilitres using a mug.

17. Tippy-Tap hand washer
• The tippy tap is hygienic – the hands-free design
means bacteria is not transferred between users.
• The tippy tap saves water – it uses only 40 ml to wash
hands thoroughly with soap.
• The tippy tap is low cost – it can be made with local,
salvaged materials
• The tippy tap is simple – children can and do build it
easily
• The tippy tap is a great way to promote hand washing
with soap, especially with children

26. Every household
in the village should have
a pit latrine and
a hand washing facility!!

31. Put stones here to avoid
water puddles (small lakes)
and then …mosquitos

33. Conclusions 1°
• Pit or Vip toilets are dry toilets easily built in rural areas.
Since the excreta is confined, pathogen transmission to the
user is limited.
• This technology is a significant improvement over single pit
latrines or open defecation.
• A horizontal distance of 30 m between the pit and a water
source is recommended to limit exposure to chemical and
biological contamination (TILLEY et al. 2008). The WHO
(1992) advises a minimum of 15 m between a pollution
source and a downstream water abstraction point.
• They should be located in an area with a good breeze. They
are not suited for rocky or compacted soils (that are difficult
to dig) or for areas that flood frequently (TILLEY et al. 2008).

34. Conclusions 2°
• Hand-washing is a corner stones of hygiene
not only in the hospital but even the house
• Proper hand-washing can reduce the
incidence of diarrheal disease by 42-47
percent
• Tippy tap hand washer can easily be built in
every house where there is no piped water

35. THANK YOU!
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