School of Hygiene marks Global Handwashing Day
Since 2008, the global Handwashing Day has been observed annually on October 15 worldwide, to support a global and local culture of handwashing with soap. It is also to place a spotlight on the state of handwashing in every country and raise awareness of the benefits of handwashing with soap.
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Handwashing with soap is estimated to reduce incidents of diarrhoea by 30 per cent and respiratory infections by 21 per cent in children under five years, which is key to reducing child mortality rates.
Speaking at a campaign organised to commemorate the Global Handwashing Day (GHD), dubbed “Making handwashing a habit,”, the Principal of the School of Hygiene at Korle Bu, Mr Raphael Komala Nutsukpui, who chaired the programme, urged parents to ensure that children washed their hands before eating, and frequently, particularly after visiting places of convenience.
He also advised students to take handwashing seriously, since life was precious and students needed to protect their families, adding, “It is a challenge to all Ghanaians to get involved in the spread of the message to the world.”
Silent killer
A tutor at the School of Hygiene, Mr Isaac Newton Dzahene, said according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), diarrhoea kills a child every 30 seconds, whereas 73 per cent of mortality is caused by diarrhoea, which is as a result of open defecation from man and animals.
Mr Dzahene stated that one trillion micro organisms were generated from daily activities such as sneezing, touching raw materials, visiting places of convenience, as well as handling rubbish, adding that viruses and bacteria such as Ebola and salmonella could be transferred easily on items such as door handles, remote controls, keyboards, bathroom door handles, pens, sinks, light switch, as well as freezer handles.
He noted that bacteria doubled up every 20 minutes where some of them could not be killed with hot water, therefore, “Parents should make it fun for children when washing their hands by singing for them so children appreciate such habits.”
Advice
He advised students to wash their hands in six stages within 20 minutes, adding that they could also use hand sanitisers if there was no water.
The GHD is a campaign to motivate and mobilise people around the world to improve their handwashing habits by washing their hands with soap under running water frequently during the day.
Speaking with the Daily Graphic, Ms Ruth Dzoto, a student, revealed that the seminar on handwashing had exposed her to some key information she did not know, adding, “Hygiene is health, and health is the complete physical, mental and social wellbeing of an individual, which implies that every individual has to protect his or her health.”