Global Hand Washing Day

Global Hand washing Day will be celebrated on October 15th.For many this might be yet another day celebrated globally.But I feel 'Global Hand Washing Day' has some relevance to India and its vast multitude of people. Many days are celebrated internationally. Most of them are for creating awareness and have a didactic value. The theme is to raise awareness about the benefits of hand washing with soap,especially among school going children.But unfortunatley most of these special day celebrations end with one day and is never carried forward.But this time, the target being school going children,at their tender age,at least, even if a slender 10 % children globally,understand its benefits and carry it forward,it will be a huge success.Frequent hand washing means less chances of contracting infectious diseases.The message is 'Clean Hands Saves Lives'.

Statistics reveal that 1000 children die of diarrohea every day in India.In other words 41 children die of diarrohea every hour in India. More than 3.5 million children before the age of 5 ,die of diarrohea and pneumonia globally.Out of this,nearly 2 million children die every year due to diarrohea alone,according to WHO statistics. Hold your breath! it is the second leading factor killing children all over the world.Experts feel, a simple hygenic habit of washing hands with soap,could reduce this figure by half.

Just because Soap manufacturers utilise this day to advertise their product (See Dettol Soap Ad in TV) or the fact that Lifebouy is a local partner to celebrations in India , one should not look at 'Global hand Washing Day' as another commercial stratagem and lessen its significance. The other partners to clebrate GHD in India are Plan India,Water Aid and FXB Suraksha. GHD will be celebrated across 5 continents. In 2008 when UN General Assembly celebrated the 'International Sanitation Year' , it was decided to spotlight the importance of hand washing with soap globally in 2009.UN also decided to celebrate GHD through Public-Private-Partenership.This is another clarion call for improved hygenic practices.More importantly it is the most cost effective preventive public health intervention.Celebritites like Fara Khan and Yuvaraj Singh have agreed to participate in the GHD celebrations in New Delhi on October 15th.

Wash Hands with Soap and Keep diseases away.Spread this message on October 15th and help to fight infectious diseases.