Hand-washing Day: Improved hands’ hygiene cuts diarrhoea incidences by 50%

Experts have advised Nigerians to improve their hand-washing habits as the country joins the world to celebrate Hand-washing Day.

According to the Global Public-Private Partnership for Hand-washing (PPPHW) who created Global Hand-washing Day, better hand-washing practices could cut the rate of acute respiratory infections (including pneumonia) by more than 20 per cent and diarrhoea diseases by nearly 50 percent.

Hand-washing was celebrated globally on the October 15, to raise and spread awareness about the necessity of washing hands with soap as an efficient and affordable method of precaution to prevent a number of diseases and save lives.

“Many diseases are spread by not washing hands with soap and clean water, hand washing is one of the most effective and affordable ways to prevent diseases” said Ojo Sikiru a medical practitioner based in Lagos.

This year’s theme, “Clean hands – a recipe for health” accentuates the important link between hand-washing and food. Washing hands with soap and water before cooking, eating or feeding others is essential for keeping food clean and safe, preventing diseases and helping children grow up healthy and strong.

Sikiru in explaining how to do hand-washing said the best way to wash your hands is by applying soap, vigorously rubbing both hands and washing rinsing soap off under running water.

“Proper hand washing with soap under running water can help prevent lot of infections. Wash your hands even when it is not visibly dirty hands.”

“Let’s encourage and motivate people around our communities and in Nigeria at large to improve their hand-washing habits,” Sikiru said.

Similarly, medical experts from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization agree that developing a habit of consistent and thorough hand-washing with soap and water are the best prevention for cold and flu germs and the spread of other contagious illnesses seen around the globe like diarrhoea and pneumonia.

“Twenty-one per cent of people do not always wash their hands after using the toilet, 65 per cent do not wash their hands before eating and 32 per cent do not wash their hands before preparing food,” according to Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) in England.

Ashish Misra, managing director, Saponaria Industries Nigeria Limited, said hand washing day is a global advocacy day, which looks to inculcate the habit of using water and soap for the cleaning of hands.

“The phones, computers and other devices have diseases causing bacteria. Bacteria are also in food preparation, eating and the use of restrooms. There are some basic ideas on the use of water and soap, as prevention to diseases.

“While we are a business entity, we believe that if we share, communicate and inculcate these habits among Nigerians, it will be good for their health, the economy and also good for our business,” Misra said.

ANTHONIA OBOKOH