How Washing Hands Saves Lives

Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya, has a potential of becoming Africa’s next potential business hub. As you walk or drive around the highways one can easily notice the increasing number of billboards advertising different household products and services. This by far (in theory of course) goes to show that Kenyans have a higher purchasing power.

Nairobi City

One of the best advertising billboards I have seen in the city is by Lifebouy. Lifebouy is a hand washing soap that has been in Kenya for many years now. What stood out for me from this particular advertisement is the face of a four year old boy with a huge smile on his face. The boy is just about to blow candles on his birthday cake. Below the boy is a phrase that I always strikes me…..Help Brian turn 5 next year.

Global Hand Washing Day is celebrated across the world on October 15^th every year. On this day the very act of washing hands is emphasized across the world. The day was originally created for the children and schools but can be celebrated by anyone promoting hand washing with soap. Washing hands with soap and water can save hundreds of lives.

 According to  UNICEF(United Nations Children’s Fund), the child mortality rates released last year stated that over 2000 children under five die each year from diarrhea cases .Of these the vast majority – or about 1,800 children per day – die from diarrhea diseases due to a lack of safe water, sanitation and basic hygiene. This has gone to prove how important it is to wash ones hands with soap and water.

Hand washing with soap has proven to be the most cost effective way of preventing diarrhea related deaths and diseases. The presence of soap minimizes the bacteria load in ones hands.

If the water and soap are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% of alcohol. Alcohol based sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs in some situations.

What’s the right way of washing hands?

1. Wet your hands with clean running water  and apply soap
2. Rub your hands together and make lather and scrub them well. Scrub the back of your hands, between fingers and under your nails.
3. Continue rubbing for at least 20 seconds. You can “Happy Birthday” song twice from begging to the end to act as a timer.
4. Rinse your hands well under the running water
5. Dry  your hands with clean towel or air dry them

   

   Ways to effectively wash hands

I came across  some interesting facts from a Michigan State University Study that out of 3,749 people that use the public restrooms, 33%  did not use soap when washing their hands and 10% did not wash their hands at all. Only 5% washed their hands long enough to kill the germs.

The study also revealed that

§  Fifteen percent of men didn’t wash their hands at all, compared with 7 percent of women. When they did wash their hands, only 50 percent of men used soap, compared with 78 percent of women.

§  People were less likely to wash their hands if the sink was dirty.

§  Hand washing was more prevalent earlier in the day. Borchgrevink said this suggests people who were out at night for a meal or drinks were in a relaxed mode and hand washing became less important.

§  People were more likely to wash their hands if a sign encouraging them to do so was present.

Now we understand how important it is to wash our hands. It not only protects us but also those around us. As we mark Global Hand washing Day on October 15^th I suggest that you mark it by …….washing your hands.

I have posted a link below that will inspire you to wash your hands. Its about an Indian father that celebrates once his son turns five. Enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLlRAxVKajA