Need for certification of household water treatment products: examples from Haiti. Issue 4 (15th December 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Murray, Anna; Pierre‐Louis, Jocelyne; Joseph, Flaurine; Sylvain, Ginelove; Patrick, Molly; Lantagne, Daniele
• Is Part Of: Tropical medicine & international health. Volume 20:Issue 4(2015:Apr.)
• Page Start: 462
• Page End: 470
• Publication Date: 2014-12-15
• Subjects: Tropical medicine -- Periodicals; Public health -- Periodicals; 616.988
• DOI: 10.1111/tmi.12445
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1360-2276

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="tmi12445-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="tmi12445-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Objective</title> <p>To evaluate four household water treatment (HWT) products currently seeking approval for distribution in Haiti, through the application of a recently‐developed national HWT product certification process.</p> </sec> <sec id="tmi12445-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Four chemical treatment products were evaluated against the certification process validation stage by verifying international product certifications confirming treatment efficacy and reviewing laboratory efficacy data against WHO HWT microbiological performance targets; and against the approval stage by confirming product composition, evaluating treated water chemical content against national and international drinking water quality guidelines and reviewing packaging for dosing ability and usage directions in Creole.</p> </sec> <sec id="tmi12445-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>None of the four evaluated products fulfilled validation or approval stage requirements. None was certified by an international agency as efficacious for drinking water treatment, and none had data demonstrating its ability to meet WHO HWT performance targets. All product sample compositions differed from labelled composition by >20%, and no packaging included complete usage directions in Creole.</p> </sec> <sec id="tmi12445-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>Product manufacturers provided information that was inapplicable, did not demonstrate product efficacy, and was insufficient to ensure safe product use. Capacity building is needed with country regulatory agencies to objectively evaluate HWT products. Products should be internationally assessed against WHO performance targets and also locally approved, considering language, culture and usability, to ensure effective HWT.</p> </sec> </abstract>