Audrey Stewart-Hinchcliffe | After Hurricane Melissa – Understanding sanitation vs sanitisation: A public health dilemma

We will agree that the passing of Melissa, a Category 5 Hurricane, on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, has again brought us to a place akin to where we were during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. It is a time for education and learning, particularly when it comes to the language being used to communicate the situation in and around the entire island.

Whether the subject is public health and safety, the environment, or weather events, individuals are frequently presented with information that exceeds their ability to process, assuming the messages are even received.

Even if the communication is to educate and inform for the preservation of health and safety – words matter. Commonly, within this context, we hear about the need for sanitation and sanitisation to mitigate environmental conditions.

In this article I will explore the meanings of sanitation versus sanitisation and the implications for public health. A dilemma indeed!

DEFINITIONS

In the quest to educate and inform, whether through press briefings, bulletins, news media and social media, the use of words and their meanings intended for action can be misinterpreted, leading to confusion, frustration and inaction. Hence sanitation and sanitisation need to be explained, as each word has policy implications for public health and safety.

SANITISATION:

Sanitisation is a noun that is interchangeable with cleaning, but not sanitation. It is “the act or process of making something completely clean, and free from bacteria.” (Cambridge English Dictionary.)

Sanitisation is a targeted approach to removing harmful bacteria which can cause illnesses. It is effected using chemical cleaning agents, heat, light and air and methods specific to surfaces or carrying agents which can cause disease transmission or worsen existing health conditions. Sanitisation can simply be compared to the everyday cleaning of the spaces we occupy, whether at home, school, work or at play.

SANITATION:

Sanitation, on the other hand, is “the system for keeping health standards in a place where people live, especially by safely removing waste products and garbage.” (Cambridge English Dictionary).

Like sanitisation, sanitation involves health protection as well, but it is the bigger picture which includes removing waste such as garbage and dirty water, to prevent disease causing agents and maintain hygienic conditions in communities where people live, work and socialise.

PUBLIC HEALTH DILEMMA:

Sanitisation and sanitation are policy matters for public health. The foundation for giving effect to policy is clear communication which must not be buried in misunderstanding and uncertainty. Therefore, in passing information to one another, whether by sharing facts, ideas or opinions, we must avoid fear-based messaging in order to promote understanding, leading to action. The passage of Hurricane Melissa presents opportunities for misinformation, fear mongering, one-upmanship on social media, insensitivity and ignorance. This must be vigorously resisted.

The unsuspecting and desperate persons and communities that continue to experience the catastrophe that Melissa brought should not be unduly subjected to the additional torture of trying to understand terminologies for action concerning health and safety with words they do not understand.

The necessity for cleaning and sanitising is a given, and is much easier to comprehend on a personal level rather than sanitation, which is a matter for the state, for example, garbage collection and removal and reducing water hazards, whether for drinking, hygiene, sports and as a means of transportation.

SANITATION POLICY IMPLEMENTATION

Jamaica’s policy on sanitation is carried out by the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) for garbage (waste) collection and disposal. The Public Health Act also governs garbage collection and disposal and food handling to ensure public health and safety. National Water Sector Policy aims for access to clean drinking water (potable) and adequate sanitation and wastewater management.

Also, complimentary to the foregoing is the role of the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) which promotes sustainable development by balancing environmental protection with orderly development. The agency also plays a critical role in sanitation after the hurricane, among other services, such as responding to harmful pollution incidents that may occur, such as chemical spills from damaged facilities, to assess impacts and guide recovery. (The environment after the hurricane will be covered in a subsequent article).

In the mix for implementation of sanitation programmes are also the local municipal corporations with regulatory powers, including to issue licences for trades and businesses, and engage in disaster preparedness, among other activities. These corporations, such as the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC), are also responsible for sanitation by managing waste collection (public cleansing) and public health. Therefore, municipal corporations are integral in disaster management and mitigation activities.

Implementation of sanitation policies and procedures after the hurricane must maintain focus on both public and private properties for cleaning, waste management, vector control, safe water and food supplies.

Together, the mentioned agencies of Government are working to protect health, safety and well-being of the nation and communicating via advisories from their respective sites, in addition to public advisories through press briefings and social media.

Among the activities are collecting and removing debris, cleaning and sanitising flood-affected areas, vector control, the distribution of water and kits containing food and hygiene supplies, and response to specific situations coming from assessments.

Sanitation coordination, facilitation and support efforts are the responsibility of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM). It does not manage the day-to-day sanitation services but coordinates and collaborates with the respective agencies, both public, private and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in addition to promoting public education.

Therefore, the understanding of the meaning of sanitation and sanitisation and dissimilarity demands that they are not to be used interchangeably in the quest for orderly post hurricane activities. Understanding the meaning of words that denote distinct processes with important differences is important to guide policy and protect public health.

- Dr. M. Audrey Stewart-Hinchcliffe, CD, JP, BA, M.Sc., DBE (h.c.), is the Chairman of Manpower & Maintenance Services (MMS) Limited Group. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com