The availability of latrines has increased dramatically in urban areas and tent villages/camps. Efforts are on not only to increase the quantity of latrines available, but also to improve the quality of latrines hastily constructed in the days and weeks immediately following the earthquake. Nevertheless, many people remain reluctant to use latrines, choosing open fields instead, due perhaps to insecurity (no lockable door), unclean latrine, unfamiliarity, lack of knowledge about health benefits of latrine use.

Similarly, as the cold weather has settled in, frequency of hand washing and bathing has reduced, even in areas where water and soap are relatively available. Some relief workers now consider hot water in bathing areas for women and children as a necessity, rather than a luxury. In any case, hand washing must be promoted as an essential hygiene practice for reducing the incidence of potentially life-threatening diarrhea. Bathing and clothes washing is equally important in controlling the spread of highly contagious scabies.

Cleanliness and solid waste management are also important in controlling the spread of infections and promoting good hygiene, particularly in camps where there is a high population density and low sense of ownership and responsibility for personal space.

Programme Communication interventions on Hygiene and Sanitation aim to prevent outbreaks of disease (such as diarrhoea, scabies and other communicable and waterborne diseases) by creating awareness about and convincing people of the benefits of behaviour change in the following key areas: