In the third world, it is common for chickens, mules, pigs, goats and other domesticated animals to roam freely throughout rural villages. Widespread defecation in common areas provides an ideal environment for the incubation and spread of many communicable diseases.
This practice has a negative impact on the success of any public health program. PHI, therefore, encourages all project villages to develop a loose animal control program as an adjunct to the development of a water system and a latrine construction program.
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PHI considers loose animal control an essential public health program.
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PHI’S experience has shown that the control of loose animals is generally the most difficult program to receive full village cooperation.
Once the villagers experience a dramatic decrease in the incidence rate in communicable diseases from a safe water system and the use of latrines, their level of cooperation increases in all aspects of the public health program.