On October 15 since 2008, Global Handwashing Day has been observed in many countries. Its goal is to promote handwashing with soap as an effective and affordable way to prevent disease and save lives. The event takes on a whole new dimension this year.
HAND HYGIENE FOR ALL ~ The COVID-19 pandemic is a reminder that one of the most effective ways to stop spreading a virus is also one of the simplest: hand hygiene, in particular by washing with soap. October 15 is Global Handwashing Day, dedicated to raising public awareness of the importance of this not always respected behavior. This year ‘s theme, hand hygiene for all, “calls on our whole society to achieve universal hand hygiene”, according to the international coalition of partners for this Day (World Bank, private brands, NGOs, foundations…).
SAVE LIVES ~ Particularly involved in the organization of this event, UNICEF mainly targets children, especially at school. In developing countries 5,000 children under the age of five die each year from diarrheal disease caused by the use of contaminated water. There is a “cure”, however: washing your hands after going to the bathroom or before eating would save more lives than any medical intervention, reducing deaths from this cause by almost half. The same is true in the fight against COVID 19.
CELEBRATE THE DAY ~ So, whatever your position, with your family, at work, or among friends, the organizers insist that “it is important to celebrate Global Handwashing Day”. For example, on October 15, 2014, the state of Madhya Pradesh in India entered the Guinness World Record for the World’s Largest Handwashing Program, involving 1,276,425 children from 51 different districts. Smaller initiatives are held every year around the world, for example at the school level.
MORE INFORMATIONS
HTTPS://GLOBALHANDWASHING.ORG/GHW/
WWW.GLOBALHANDWASHINGDAY.ORG
Author: Agnès Monlouis-Félicité
