Tujikomboe Group realized that; it will take years for Tanzania to reach all villages and urban areas with clean and safe water. At the same time, the proportional of <5 years children and pregnant women who dies as a results of water bone diseases is on the increase. Boiling of water is still for those who are educated and have money. Although, it is not surprise to see primary school teacher who is educated not boiling drinking water; meaning that; hygiene and sanitation education is essential and can not be supplemented by formal standardized education classes of a person. While the cost of boiling water is significantly higher( One tin of charcoal costing Tanzanian shilling- Tshs: 1,000/= equal to USD $ 0.6); while the cost of treating water using the PUR- Purifier of water is four times less( that is Two Hundred and Fifty Tanzania Shillings-Tshs: 200/= equal to USD $ 0.12) for the purchase of one packet of PUR. Conduct social marketing of PUR-a purifier of water in rural and semi-urban areas is the best strategy in promotion of household water treatment. The aim is to reduce water bone diseases at the family and community level. PUR has been tested and found to neutralize all harmful minerals found in water such as lead. This kind of mineral (lead) which found in many water sources; if not well treated to the neutrality level can cause kidney and liver disorder of a person. Tujikomboe Group conduct promotion campaigns with loudspeakers to reach each village in Tanga District and in Kilosa District. Village meetings are done in order to explore local practice and coping mechanisms in treating their drinking water. Several probing questions are asked to the villagers such as (1) how many people per ward boiling drinking water? (2) How many people using water guard or shub to treat and purify water? (3) Is there any existing local technology of treating and purify water? (4) How many people reported at health facilities to have diarrhea in the past four days (5) how many people reported at health facilities to have typhoid in the past three months? (6) How many people reported at health facilities to have cholera in the past three months? (7) how many people reported at health facilities to have urinary transmission infections (UTIs) in the past three months?
However; introduction of a new brand of purifier of water knows as PUR to villagers is done simultaneously with the water treatment and hygiene survey at each ward. Demonstration testing is done by Tujikomboe Group staff in the presence of villagers. By follow instructions elucidated in each PUR-PURE packet, villagers see all the dusts and mud (flock) settle down leaving clean treated water. The facilitator then filters the water using clean cotton cloth, after that water is ready to drink. It should be noted that; in many villages, water sources is not protected nor treated, the use of open traditional shallow well is predominant. It is advised to use PUR to treat hand washing water and drinking water in schools and at the community. Therefore, introduction of PUR (see photo below) is a glorious move of Tujikomboe Group to end water bone diseases prevailing at the villages and sub urban areas.
Description of PUR-Purifier of water
PUR –Purifier of water is manufactured by P & G Procter & Gamble; B-233/234, H.I.T.E, Hub, Baluchistan-Pakistan. PUR is the trade mark of The Procter and Gamble Company. The product is packet in carton. Each carton contains 240 packets of 4gms (0.14 oz). Each packet treats 10 liters of water equal to 2.5 gallons. The manufacturer of PUR has a website of www.PurPurifierOfWater.com. PUR has EPA reg. No. 3573-90 and EPA Est. No. 3573-PAK-001. In Tanzania PUR is imported by Segerea Pharmacy located in Segerea area-Dar es Salaam. The Chief Government Chemist and the National Bureau of Standard have approved PUR to be used by all categories of people with no side effects. These laboratory tests also describe the effectiveness of PUR in fighting E. coli virus and other harmful pathogens. PUR is more efficient than the traditional water purifiers because, it treats and at the same times purifies the water to the highest standard. PUR does not causing smell to the treated water. Many water sources in Tanzania contain harmful minerals such as lead which cause kidney and liver disorders. By treat such water with PUR all lead will be neutralized to harmless. Not only that; PUR can purify fluorinated water to non hazardous level. The market price of one packet of PUR as promoted by Tujikomboe Group is Tshs: 200/= meaning that one carton of 240 packets is Tshs: 48,000/=.