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In 2000 the IFH held its first international conference in London, in collaboration with the UK Public Health Laboratory Service and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, entitled “Preventing infectious intestinal disease in the domestic setting: a shared responsibility”. Focusing on the topic of infectious intestinal disease, the conference, through a series of presentations and poster sessions, explored each of the “core aspects” of home hygiene.

The second IFH international conference, “Home hygiene and the prevention of infectious disease in developing countries: a responsibility for all” (Delhi, India) focused on the importance of integrated hygiene interventions and public-private partnerships as a way forward for hygiene promotion.






In addition to the International Conferences, the IFH identified the need to stimulate discussion about domestic hygiene at the national level in order to get in contact with the health and hygiene authorities. In 2001, the IFH organised its first national symposium in Helsinki, Finland, and is planning to further develop the calendar of national activities.






NATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON DRINKING WATER AND COMMUNITY HEALTH: STANDARDS, SURVEILLANCE AND MANAGEMENT
The National Academy of Sciences (NASI), India organized this symposium in New Delhi on 10-11 February 2006 in collaboration with National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), National Institute of Communicable Disease (NICD), Indian Public Health Association (IPHA), Institute of Public Health Engineers, India (IPHE), National Institute of Cholera & Enteric Diseases (NICED),the South East ASian Office of the IFH and Hindustan Lever Limited (HLL). The objectives were:
1. To sensitize policy makers and Water and Health professionals on issues related to water quality and its impact on community health.
2. To review the present status of the water quality surveillance & management in the country in the context of international scenario and suggest measures for improvement.
3. An in-depth review and evaluation of the present and futuristic standards of water quality in the country and suggest changes, if required.
4. Review the present scenario in respect of point of use treatment and suggest measures for quality control & standardization.
The symposium successfully reunited national and experts, programme officers and policy makers who deliberated a series of recommendations and action points on water quality standards, water quality monitoring & surveillance, point of use intervention, water purifier standards, chemical contaminants, home hygiene issues related to safe storage, handling & hygienic use of water. Access the full recommendation report clinking here .


Global Wash Forum, Dakar, Senegal 2004

The World Health Organization European Center for Environment and Health (Bonn Office) organized an international symposium on housing and health in Forli, Italy, on November 21-23.
IFH board member Dr Scott presented,on behalf of the IFH board, the paper 'Food safety and foodborne disease in homes of the 21st century'. The IFH Secretariat also was there with an information stand.

IFH Board members, consultants and associate members actively promote the IFH approach by giving lectures on the topics related to home hygiene. In May 2002, Dr Elizabeth Scott moderated a roundtable discussion on the IFH at the UWO Stanier symposium 2002, “Linking Hygiene to Health: Old Foes and New Challenges”. Following from this, in September 2002, several IFH associate members delivered a presentation at the symposium entitled: “Are we too clean? A question of immunity and balance”, which is organised by the Royal Institute of Public Health. Click on the title to view the pdf of the program and registration information.