Water, sanitation and hygiene survey – Use of hydrogen sulfide strip at field level as a point-of-care test: A pilot study

摘要

Safe drinking water is a basic element of primary health care. The government of India in its Indian Public Health Standards recommends the hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) strip test as a desirable component at primary health centers for screening water for fecal coliforms. The objective of the present study was to conduct a water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) survey followed by a H₂S strip test of drinking water in a village with ninety households. The test was positive in 88% at the source and the point of consumption, with 100% concordance between both the points of test. A subsample of water samples was subjected to testing in microbiology laboratory, and fecal contamination was confirmed in all of them. To conclude, H₂S strip test can be conveniently used at field level, and its ease of use and visual nature of results make it a useful point-of-care test of environmental and public health.