Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Lower-Level Health Care Facilities of Dar es Salaam Region in Tanzania: Status towards Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and Way Forward

Background: Improving Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in health care settings is a critical prerequisite for achieving national health goals and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a target for each United Nations member state to reach by 2030. Each member state is required to reach by 2022, 2025 and 2030 at least 60%, 80% and 100%, respectively of basic level of service of the five elements which are water, sanitation, hygiene, waste management and environmental cleaning. Methods: This study aimed to evaluate and document the current state of basic water, sanitation, and hygiene services in all lower-level health care facilities in the Dar es Salaam region of Tanzania as of July 2022. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 99 public dispensaries in the Dar es Salaam region’s five councils: Ubungo, Kigamboni, Kinondoni and Temeke Municipalities, and Ilala City. The interviewee form and observational checklists were both digitalized using the Kobo tool software. The respondents were health care facility in-charges or nurse in-charges. Data were downloaded, validated, and imported to Stata version 15 for analysis. Results: The basic WASH level per JMP is far below the target in 2022. Each member state by 2022 is required to reach at least 60% of the basic level of service of each element. We found a low coverage of basic WASH in the 99 dispensaries included in this study. The basic WASH coverage was met in only 10 (10.1%) of the dispensaries, while the remaining 89 (89.9%) dispensaries fall on limited WASH services. Conclusion: This study revealed lower coverage of basic WASH services in dispensaries. An urgent need is required to improve the status of WASH in all the dispensaries and facilitate the provision of quality health care services, patient safety and reduce health care associated infections.

The Main Biological Hazards in Animal Biosafety Level 2 Facilities and Strategies for Control

Concern about the biological hazards involved in microbiological research, especially research involving laboratory animals, has increased in recent years. Working in an animal biosafety level 2 facility （ABSL-2）, commonly used for research on infectious diseases, poses various biological hazards. Here, the regulations and standards related to laboratory biosafety in China are introduced, the potential biological hazards present in ABSL-2 facilities are analyzed, and a series of strategies to control the hazards are presented.

Matching of Residential and Commercial Space in Shrinking Cities from the Perspective of Supply and Demand:A Case Study of Yichun City,China

Urban shrinkage is becoming an increasingly common phenomenon in China.The research focus has been the identification,origin,and pattern of shrinking cities.Nevertheless,attention has also been paid to the problems associated with urban shrinkage.The present study examines one typical shrinking city in China,specifically the Yichun District in Yichun City.To explore the matching relationship between residential and commercial spaces,this study analyzes supply and demand data,electricity consumption data and multi-source points of interest(POI)of residents.The results showed that the occupancy rate is not reduced in the context of urban shrinkage,and that the supply level of various commercial facilities is not in decline.Apart from leisure and entertainment facilities,the supply levels of catering,shopping and supporting facilities for life were noted to have improved.In reference to urban shrinkage,the matching relationship between residential and commercial space in the 5-min,10-min,and 15-min living circles mainly shifted to a highlevel equilibrium.The matching relationships between residential space and different types of commercial spaces change in both direction and magnitude.From the perspective of supply and demand,the spatial and temporal changes in the relationship relate to multiple factors,such as the level of economic development,the buiding age pattern,public transportation accessibility,aging,and residents’willingness to move.This study provides relevant data for managing urban shrinkage.It also helps improve the relationships between residential and commercial spaces and works to optimize the layout and structure of functional urban spaces.