Hand-washing: Key to safe health practice, says CHESD

TOWARDS promoting global hygiene and maintaining stringent hand washing measures as a universal culture, the Centre for Health Enhancement and Social Development (CHESD), has harped on the need for all persons, especially in Africa, to cultivate the culture of hand-washing with a view to preventing the spread of germs as well as keep people in the region from infections and life-threatening diseases.

CHESD Chairman, Board of Trustees, Iria Ailendesuan and Secretary, Bamidele Olowonubi, in a statement said the main objective of the Global Hand-washing Day (GHD) is to promote hand washing, which is the first line of defence against the spread of infections such as meningitis, bronchitis, hepatitis A and most types of infectious diarrhoea as well as acute gastroenteritis.

While expressing concern for safe health through proper and clean hand-washing, Ailendesuan noted that the theme of the 2015 GHD is, “ Raise A Hand for Hygiene” targeted at promoting global advocacy for hand washing worldwide yearly.

Ailendesuan noted that any individual who has come in contact with germs can easily become infected by touching his or her nose, eyes or mouth and urged people to always wash their hands after smoking, using of toilets, blowing of nose, handling of rubbish, touching of animals as well as before cooking and eating. “Hand washing is the best way to prevent germs from spreading and to keep people from becoming ill.

Many infections are spread through contact with dirty hands, diapers, fluid from the bodies of sick people, contaminated surfaces, food, beverages, droplets, water and unkempt hair. “Hand washing with soap at critical times is under-promoted at the grassroots level.

This is rather unfortunate considering that the low socio-economic classes interface more with unhygienic conditions. The members of that class, more than the people of other socio-economic classes need to be reminded continually of the utility of hand-washing with soap,” he stated.