Drinking Water Supply in the Region of Antofagasta (Chile): A Challenge between Past, Present and Future.

Since the mid-nineteen century, when the first mining companies were established in the region of Antofagasta to extract saltpeter, mining managers and civil authorities have always had to face a number of problems to secure a water supply sufficient for the development of industrial activities and society. The unique features of the region, namely the scarcity of rainfall, the high concentration of arsenic in freshwaters and the increasing pressure of the mining sector, have made the supply of drinking water for local communities a challenge. In the 1950s, the town of Antofagasta experienced a serious drinking water crisis. The 300 km long aqueduct starting from the Toconce catchment, opened in 1958, temporarily ended this shortage of drinking water but created an even more dramatic problem. The concentration of arsenic in the water consumed by the population had grown by approx. ten times, reaching the value of 0.860 mg/L and seriously affecting people's health. The water treatment plants (WTPs) which were installed starting from the 1970s in the region (namely the Old and New Salar del Carmen in Antofagasta and Cerro Topater in Calama, plus the two recent desalination plants in Antofagasta and Tocopilla), have ensured, since 2014, that the drinking water coverage in the urban areas was practically universal (>99.9%). However, the rural areas have continued to experience significant shortcomings regarding their capacity to ensure the quality and continuity of the water supply service in the long run. Presently, approx. 42% of the rural population of the region of Antofagasta does not have a formal supply of drinking water. The recent amendments to the Chilean Water Code (March 2022) and the interventions carried out in the framework of the Agua Potable Rural (APR) program were intended to reduce the socio-ecological inequalities due to the lack of drinking water in the semi-concentrated and isolated rural population.

How Can Personal Protective Equipment Be Best Used and Reused: A Closer Look at Donning and Doffing Procedures.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine safety-related contamination threats and risks to health-care workers (HCWs) due to the reuse of personal protective equipment (PPE) among emergency department (ED) personnel. METHODS: We used a Participatory Design (PD) approach to conduct task analysis (TA) of PPE use and reuse. TA identified the steps, risks, and protective behaviors involved in PPE reuse. We used the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance for PPE donning and doffing specifying the recommended task order. Then, we convened subject matter experts (SMEs) with relevant backgrounds in Patient Safety, Human Factors and Emergency Medicine to iteratively identify and map the tasks, risks, and protective behaviors involved in the PPE use and reuse. RESULTS: Two emerging threats were associated with behaviors in donning, doffing, and re-using PPE: (i) direct exposure to contaminant, and (ii) transmission/spread of contaminant. Protective behaviors included: hand hygiene, not touching the patient-facing surface of PPE, and ensuring a proper fit and closure of all PPE ties and materials. CONCLUSIONS: TA was helpful revealed that the procedure for donning and doffing of re-used PPE does not protect ED personnel from contaminant spread and risk of exposure, even with protective behaviors present (e.g., hand hygiene, respirator use, etc.). Future work should make more apparent the underlying risks associated with PPE use and reuse.

Los nuevos retos en la ingeniería sanitaria en Perú: Pandemia COVID-19 y enseñanza remota / The new challenges in sanitary engineering in Peru: COVID-19 pandemic and remote teaching

La Ingeniería Sanitaria surge como una rama de la ingeniería que involucra tanto materias propias de la ingeniería tales como: matemáticas, física, química hidráulica o mecánica, como aquellas relacionada con la medicina y la higiene, tales como la microbiología y conservación. Tiene como función principal crear y fomentar condiciones de salubridad en las poblaciones siendo vigilante de las aguas, el aire y la tierra, evitando que la contaminación alcance a los seres humanos. En Perú, la ingeniería sanitaria se creó como un apéndice de la ingeniería civil, pero pronto tomó el lugar merecido, declarándose una carrera de ingeniería independiente. Actualmente, la Ingeniería sanitaria es la encargada de llevar agua potabilizada a la población, y tratar las aguas servidas. Por otra parte, con la llegada del SARS-CoV-2, el mundo fue sacudido, y una situación de pandemia emergió, lo que hizo que los diferentes países tomasen las acciones necesarias, tal como sucedió con el Perú. Allí, la Ingeniería Sanitaria, accionó sus funciones, buscando la potabilización del agua de consumo. En estos tiempos de pandemia, también determinaron el resguardo de la población, lo que fomentó la educación remota. En el caso de la Ingeniería Sanitaria, los laboratorios presenciales y convencionales fueron sustituidos por laboratorios virtuales y remotos, lo cual permitió que la educación continuase sin contratiempos(AU)

Sanitary Engineering emerges as a branch of engineering that involves both engineering subjects such as: mathematics, physics, hydraulic or mechanical chemistry, as well as those related to medicine and hygiene, such as microbiology and conservation. Its main function is to create and promote healthy conditions in the populations, being vigilant of the waters, the air and the land, preventing contamination from reaching human beings. In Peru, sanitary engineering was created as an appendix to civil engineering, but it soon took its deserved place, declaring itself an independent engineering career. Currently, Sanitary Engineering is in charge of bringing drinking water to the population, and treating wastewater. On the other hand, with the arrival of SARS-CoV-2, the world was shaken, and a pandemic situation emerged, which made the different countries take the necessary actions, as happened with Peru. Over there, the Sanitary Engineering, activated its functions, seeking the potabilization of drinking water. In these times of pandemic, they also determined the protection of the population, which promoted remote education. In the case of Sanitary Engineering, face-to-face and conventional laboratories were replaced by virtual and remote laboratories, which allowed education to continue without setbacks(AU)

[Current status and prospects of studies on biological occupational hazards].

Biological occupational hazards have occurred frequently for a long time, which have seriously affected the health of relevant occupational groups. The infection of medical staff caused by improper occupational protection in public health emergencies also sounds alarms to practitioners with biological hazards. In order to further carry out the research work of biological occupational hazards, this paper combs and summarizes the research status of biological occuational hazards in agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, fishery and other industries, and puts forward suggestions for in-depth research from three aspects of research scope, research methods and research contents, to provide some reference for the development of biological occupational hazards research in the future.

Touch-Point Detection Using Thermal Video With Applications to Prevent Indirect Virus Spread.

Viral and bacterial pathogens can be transmitted through direct contact with contaminated surfaces. Efficient decontamination of contaminated surfaces could lead to decreased disease transmission, if optimized methods for detecting contaminated surfaces can be developed. Here we describe such a method whereby thermal tracking technology is utilized to detect thermal signatures incurred by surfaces through direct contact. This is applicable in public places to assist with targeted sanitation and cleaning efforts to potentially reduce chance of disease transmission. In this study, we refer to the touched region of the surface as a "touch-point" and examine how the touch-point regions can be automatically localized with a computer vision pipeline of a thermal image sequence. The pipeline mainly comprises two components: a single-frame and a multi-frame analysis. The single-frame analysis consists of a Background subtraction method for image pre-processing and a U-net deep learning model for segmenting the touch-point regions. The multi-frame analysis performs a summation of the outputs from the single-frame analysis and creates a cumulative map of touch-points. Results show that the touch-point detection pipeline can achieve 75.0% precision and 81.5% F1-score for the testing experiments of predicting the touch-point regions. This preliminary study shows potential applications of preventing indirect pathogen spread in public spaces and improving the efficiency of cleaning sanitation.

[Achievements and prospects on environmental health and sanitary engineering in China].

According to different epochs and development needs, a series of practices on environmental health and sanitary engineering were carried out, which played significant roles in promoting national economic and social developments and protecting the public health. This paper reviewed the main achievements in the past 70 years infields of patriotic health campaign, water sanitation and toilet improvement in rural areas, surveillance and investigation, health standard system, sanitary engineering equipment, stove improvement etc., and then proposed several prospects in the future.

Achievements and prospects on environmental health and sanitary engineering in China / 中华预防医学杂志

According to different epochs and development needs, a series of practices on environmental health and sanitary engineering were carried out, which played significant roles in promoting national economic and social developments and protecting the public health. This paper reviewed the main achievements in the past 70 years infields of patriotic health campaign, water sanitation and toilet improvement in rural areas, surveillance and investigation, health standard system, sanitary engineering equipment, stove improvement etc., and then proposed several prospects in the future.

Impacto en la salud pública del sistema de telediagnóstico implementado en Paraguay / Public health impact of a remote diagnosis system implemented in regional and district hospitals in Paraguay / Impacto sobre a saúde pública do sistema de telediagnóstico implementado em hospitais regionais e distritais do Paraguai

RESUMEN Objetivo Determinar la viabilidad y puesta en marcha de un sistema de telediagnóstico para dar asistencia sanitaria a poblaciones remotas y dispersas del Paraguay. Métodos El estudio fue realizado en todos los hospitales regionales, generales y principales hospitales distritales de las 18 regiones sanitarias del Paraguay. En el sistema se registraron los datos clínicos y las imágenes tomográficas, ecográficas y trazados electrocardiográficos del paciente que precisaba de un diagnóstico por parte de un médico especialista. Esta información se transmitió a los especialistas en imagenología y en cardiología para su diagnóstico remoto y posterior envío del informe a los hospitales conectados al sistema. Se analizó el costo-beneficio e impacto de la herramienta de telediagnóstico desde la perspectiva del Sistema Nacional de Salud. Resultados Entre enero de 2014 y mayo de 2015 se realizaron 34 096 telediagnósticos distribuidos en 25 hospitales a través del Sistema de Telemedicina del Ministerio de Salud. El costo unitario promedio del diagnóstico remoto fue de USD 2,6 (dólares estadounidenses) para electrocardiograma (ECG), tomografía y ecografía, mientras que el costo unitario para el diagnóstico “cara a cara” fue de UDS 11,8 para ECG; USD 68,6 para tomografía y USD 21,5 para ecografía. La reducción del costo mediante el diagnóstico remoto fue de 4,5 veces para ECG; 26,4 veces para tomografía y de 8,3 veces para ecografía. En términos monetarios, la implementación del sistema de telediagnóstico, durante los 16 meses del estudio, significó un ahorro promedio de USD 2 420 037. Conclusión Paraguay cuenta con un sistema de telediagnóstico para electrocardiografía, tomografía y ecografía aplicando las tecnologías de la información y comunicación (TIC) de bajo costo, basadas en software libre y escalable a otros tipos de estudios diagnósticos a distancia; de interés para la salud pública. Con una aplicación práctica del telediagnóstico, se contribuyó al fortalecimiento de la red integrada de servicios y programas de salud, lo que permitió maximizar el tiempo del profesional y su productividad, mejorar la calidad, aumentar el acceso y la equidad, y disminuir los costos.

ABSTRACT Objective Determine the viability of a remote diagnosis system implemented to provide health care to remote and scattered populations in Paraguay. Methods The study was conducted in all regional and general hospitals in Paraguay, and in the main district hospitals in the country’s 18 health regions. Clinical data, tomographic images, sonography, and electrocardiograms (ECGs) of patients who needed a diagnosis by a specialized physician were entered into the system. This information was sent to specialists in diagnostic imaging and in cardiology for remote diagnosis and the report was then forwarded to the hospitals connected to the system. The cost-benefit and impact of the remote diagnosis tool was analyzed from the perspective of the National Health System. Results Between January 2014 and May 2015, a total of 34 096 remote diagnoses were made in 25 hospitals in the Ministry of Health’s telemedicine system. The average unit cost of remote diagnosis was US$2.6 per ECG, tomography, and sonography, while the unit cost of “face-to-face” diagnosis was US$11.8 per ECG, US$68.6 per tomography, and US$21.5 per sonography. As a result of remote diagnosis, unit costs were 4.5 times lower for ECGs; 26.4 times lower for tomography, and 8.3 times lower for sonography. In monetary terms, implementation of the remote diagnosis system during the 16 months of the study led to average savings of US$2 420 037. Conclusion Paraguay has a remote diagnosis system for electrocardiography, tomography, and sonography, using low-cost information and communications technologies (ICTs) based on free software that is scalable to other types of remote diagnostic studies of interest for public health. Implementation of remote diagnosis helped to strengthen the integrated network of health services and programs, enabling professionals to optimize their time and productivity, while improving quality, increasing access and equity, and reducing costs.

RESUMO Objetivo Avaliar a viabilidade e a implementação de um sistema de telediagnóstico destinado a oferecer assistência de saúde a populações remotas e dispersas do Paraguai. Métodos O estudo foi realizado em todos os hospitais regionais e gerais e nos principais hospitais distritais das 18 regiões sanitárias do Paraguai. Foram registrados no sistema os dados clínicos, as imagens tomográficas e ecográficas e os traçados eletrocardiográficos de pacientes que precisavam de um diagnóstico por parte de um médico especialista. Estas informações foram transmitidas a especialistas em diagnóstico por imagem e cardiologia para que fizessem o diagnóstico remoto e enviassem então os laudos aos hospitais conectados ao sistema. Analisou-se a relação custo-benefício e o impacto da ferramenta de telediagnóstico da perspectiva do Sistema Nacional de Saúde. Resultados Entre janeiro de 2014 e maio de 2015, foram realizados 34.096 telediagnósticos em 25 hospitais através do Sistema de Telemedicina do Ministério da Saúde. O custo unitário médio do diagnóstico remoto foi de US$ 2,6 (dólares americanos) para eletrocardiografia (ECG), tomografia e ecografia, enquanto que o custo unitário para o diagnóstico presencial foi de US$ 11,8 para ECG, US$ 68,6 para tomografia e US$ 21,5 para ecografia. A redução do custo pelo uso do diagnóstico remoto foi de 4,5 vezes para ECG, 26,4 vezes para tomografia e 8,3 vezes para ecografia. Em termos monetários, a implementação do sistema de telediagnóstico, ao longo dos 16 meses do estudo, representou uma economia média de US$ 2.420.037. Conclusão O Paraguai conta com um sistema de telediagnóstico para eletrocardiografia, tomografia e ecografia que utiliza tecnologias da informação e comunicação (TIC) de baixo custo, baseadas em software livre e ampliáveis a outros tipos de exames diagnósticos à distância que são de interesse para a saúde pública. A aplicação prática do telediagnóstico contribuiu para o fortalecimento da rede integrada de serviços e programas de saúde, o que permitiu maximizar o tempo dos profissionais e sua produtividade, melhorar a qualidade, aumentar o acesso e a equidade e reduzir os custos.

A Revista Engenharia Sanitária e Ambiental no Sistema Brasileiro de Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação / The Sanitary and Environmental Engineering Journal in the Brazilian Science, Technology and Innovation System

A análise do histórico de revistas científicas é um dos objetos principais de pesquisas nas áreas de bibliometria, cienciometria, informetria e webometria. Geralmente, essas análises procuram identificar o perfil cronológico dos artigos, autores e contextos editoriais das publicações. Quando entendida como uma organização inserida em um sistema de ciência, tecnologia e inovação (CT & I), uma revista científica é um agente de memória organizacional, que dissemina e promove conhecimento. Assim, além de análises sobre seu contexto editorial, é relevante verificar outros fatores que posicionam a revista no sistema de CT & I ao qual se refere. Uma das formas de tratar essa questão se dá pela combinação de métricas da informetria com análises oriundas da engenharia e da gestão do conhecimento. Neste artigo, aplica-se um modelo multidisciplinar com essa natureza, para verificar a base de conhecimentos criada pela Revista Engenharia Sanitária e Ambiental (Revista ESA) no sistema brasileiro de CT & I. Foram analisados os 333 artigos publicados entre agosto de 2004 e dezembro de 2012, o perfil curricular dos 816 autores, bem como o perfil de financiamento em CT & I realizados nos fundos setoriais em temáticas afins à revista, no mesmo período das publicações. Os resultados dessas análises foram verificados por especialistas no domínio das ciências ambientais e engenharia sanitária, com experiência no histórico da revista. Os resultados indicam que o perfil de conhecimentos produzidos pela Revista ESA guarda correspondência com os critérios de financiamento federais para CT & I, evidenciando o papel que a revista representa como formadora de uma base de conhecimento científico em engenharia sanitária e ambiental.

One of the main goals of bibliometrics, scientometrics, informetrics and webometrics is to analyze the history of scientific journals. Usually these studies analyze journals history, authors' profiles and how publications have evolved over time. In a broader view, a scientific journal can be thought of as a memory agent that promotes and disseminates knowledge in a science, technology and innovation system (STI). This brings other possibilities of understanding the role of scientific journals in STI systems. We address this challenge by combining informetrics with knowledge engineering and management techniques. In this article, we apply a multidisciplinary model to verify the knowledge base created by the Brazilian Scientific Journal called "Engenharia Sanitária e Ambiental" (ESA) in the Brazilian STI system. We analyzed the 333 articles published between August 2004 and December 2012. We also studied the national database of curricula in Brazil to analyze the profiles of the 816 authors and a national database, to check for public funding in subjects published in ESA. We concluded that both the knowledge published in ESA and the areas funded by national grant in Brazil have evolved in a similar way. This indicates that ESA plays a significant role as a memory agent in environmental and sanitary engineering in Brazil.

Appropriate technologies for water supply and sanitation in Jordan

This document is based on a special study carried out by a Jordanian expert and funded by CEHA. It provides summary information on the various elements of existing water supply and sanitation programs in Jordan, highlights challenges and major difficulties limiting the smooth and proper application of such programs, identifies and discusses major features of technologies that may be appropriate for local application, and discusses issues related to the local use and application of the selected technologies. In addition, the report presents a review of important issues related to water supply and sanitation programs, including: legislation; institutional set-up; health education; and community awareness programs. The report should offer valuable information that can be used for a variety of educational purposes. Experts on the various aspects of local programs may appreciate sharing an additional point of view on the discussed issues. The conclusions and recommendations are presented for discussion, and are based on the subjects presented in this report

Guidelines on technologies for water supply systems in small communities

The purpose of these guidelines is to compile, in simple form, information regarding various aspects of water supply which may be considered when planning the development of water supply systems for rural areas. Information concerning planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of small waster supply systems described in these guidelines is based on standard practices used in developed countries. It is however adapted on suit rural conditions

Guidelines on technologies for sanitation in small communities

These guidelines aim at achieving two goals. First is to facilitate the work of government, health and other concerned sectors with the preparation of practical guides, or instructions, describing appropriate solutions to local sanitation problems, which are acceptable from the social, economic and technologies standpoints. The second is to extract and adapt from past and recent publications the technical information of immediate relevance to the social, economic and physical conditions of the countries of WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, for the use of middle-level technicians

Hygienic Evaluation of Ecosan Toilet Systems in Rural Areas / 环境与健康杂志

Objective To evaluate the sanitation of the ecological toilet systems used in rural areas. Methods The urine diverting Ecosan toilets in rural areas of Guangxi province were observed for the utilization, maintenance and sanitization. The hygienic evaluation was carried out according to the Hygienic Standards for Excreta Sanitization GB 7959-87. Results The new type of urine diverting Ecosan toilets could meet the requirements of non-hazard treatment of excreta. Conclusion Such toilet system should be developed in most parts of Guangxi.

Effects of Performing the Projects of Water and Environmental Sanitation on Environmental Sanitation in Countryside / 环境与健康杂志

Objective To undenstand the effects of performing the project of water and environmental sanitation (WES) on the environmental sanitation in countryside. Methods In the WES project-performed counties, the densities of fly and maggot, and the odor complains in household latrines were investigated, the status of peasants' hygienic knowledge and personal sanitary behavior and habits, and satisfaction at the sanitary latrines were investigated by means of a unified questionaire in 8 latrine-improved villages and one latrine-unimproved village (control village). Results The densities of fly and maggot and the oder complains in household improved latrines were all significantly lower than those in control household latrines. In the WES project-performed villages, higher levels of hygienic knowledge, better sanitary behavior and habit were observed in peasants compared with those in control village. 94.0% of the peasants in latrine-improved households satisfied the sanitary latrines. Conclusion Performance of WES project rose the whole level of the environmental sanitation in rural area.

Economic and Social Benefit Analysis of Improvement of Latrines in Countryside of Hunan Province,China / 环境与健康杂志

Objectives To analyse the economic and social benefit of improvement of latrines in countryside of Hunan province,China.Methods 6 counties were selected as observational points based on the character of geographical position and the types of non-hazard treatment of feces.The lab tests,questionnaire investigation,retrospective survey and mathematical models were used and the prevalance rate of intestinal infectious diseases and infectious rate of parasite were analyzed.Results All the three types of non-hazard treatment facilities fulfiled the requirement of The Hygeian Standard of the Fecal Decontamination.Compared with the villages without improvement of latrine,the infectious rates of parasite was lower by 61.32%,the prevalance rate of intestinal infectious diseases by 45.25%,and the incidence rates of infectious diarrhea by 42.62% in villages where the latrines improved.The improvement of latrine will save 28 379.1 yuan for one year and 2.45 yuan for one person in preventing intestinal infectious diseases and infectious diarrhea.Conclusion Three types of non-hazardous treatment of feces have obvious effectiveness on disease prevention,which will produce distinct economic and social benefit.