NYABIHU, 15 October 2014 – Each year, over 200 million people are involved in celebrations in over 100 countries around the world for the Hand washing day. Rwanda, too joins in the celebrations for the 7th Global Hand washing Day – in collaboration with UNICEF, NGOs and private sector partners to promote Hand washing with soap in disease prevention.
The theme for the day is “Choose Hand washing with soap, choose Health/Tubungabunge ubuzima dukaraba intoki n’amazi meza n’isabune.”
Together with the Global Hand washing day, a 3 months national hygiene campaign in schools all over Rwanda is also being launched to – ensure that it is more than just a day –in fact an everyday routine.
“Washing hands with soap can prevent the death of millions of children around the world. Many children in the world do not celebrate their fifth birthday because of diarrhoea and pneumonia, diseases which can be prevented just by the simple act of washing hands with soap” said Murtaza Malik, WASH Manager of UNICEF Rwanda. “It is a “do-it-yourself vaccine” that prevents infections and saves lives” added Malik.
In Rwanda, the Ministry of Health in collaboration with UNICEF, NGOs, partners and the private sector such as I&M Bank and partners have organised a series of activities including the launch event, group hand washing in schools, mass media campaigns and community outreach to celebrate the Global Hand washing Day. The target is to reach over 2 million children in schools through these activities. Through community hygiene clubs and school health clubs, hand washing with soap is promoted by the children themselves – as effective change agents.
“We encourage all children to adopt hygiene practices at your early age, and instil those good behaviours in your families, communities and society in general. We know that you are effective agents of change, and you can do it,” stressed Dr. Parfait Uwariraye, the Director General in charge of planning at the Ministry of Health
Hand washing with soap is even more significant in the current context – Ebola response. As it takes its toll on the health services in the affected countries, the practice of hand washing is an important prevention method from the spread of Ebola virus.
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