Handwashing campaign moves to basic schools
A campaign to aid schoolchildren stick to the habit of proper handwashing to prevent infection and help minimise the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) has taken off in Accra.
The initiative is targeting 350,000 students in 600 basic schools across Accra in a bid to promote personal hygiene and avert the spread of diseases in the country.
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Spearheaded by the Reckitt, manufacturers of the Dettol range, the year-long campaign is dedicated to increase awareness of the importance of handwashing with soap as an easy, effective, and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives in communities.
Intensify campaign
Speaking to the media at the inaugural campaign launch at the University Primary School, Legon on June 11, the acting Country Manager of Reckitt, Mr Henry Nii Ankrah, underscored the need for proper and regular handwashing campaign to be intensified in the country.
He said the health benefits of proper and regular handwashing was enormous, with the prevention of diseases crucial on the list.
Mr Ankrah advised the people to do away with the wrong and unhealthy practice of washing their hands only after they had had their meal.
He said the campaign was targeting schoolchildren because they could serve as agents of change to influence their peers, family and community to do the right thing.
Keeping germs away
The Brands Manager of Reckitt, Ms Cassandra Atibila, said as the world continued to deal with the pandemic, it was even more important now to encourage children to wash their hands properly to keep germs away.
“We have taken up the mantle to engage over 600 basic schools by the end of the year. Children are good ambassadors of change and exactly the people we want to use to enforce the behavioural change.
“When children’s immunity is boosted, they are more likely to be high achievers in school as compared to those who are frequently ill due to germs caused by poor personal hygiene,” she added.
GES’s position
The Director incharge of School Health Programme of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Ms Esi Inkoom, stated that handwashing had become important in recent times, especially since the onset of COVID-19.
“We know that handwashing is very important to take away germs. Last year, for instance, the country did not record any cholera outbreak due to the periodic handwashing.
“And so, we know that when our children wash their hands a lot of diseases will be prevented,” she said.
As a result, the Director observed that the campaign would be an avenue where children would be educated on the critical period to wash their hands.
Inaugural launch
The inaugural launch, successfully engaged the students on the benefits of handwashing and good hand hygiene practices.
The initiative is aimed at educating schoolchildren and turning them into ‘soaperheros’ by forming clubs within various schools in order to encourage personal hygiene in their communities and among peers.