The global mortality rate of children under the age of five as a result of diarrhoeal diseases underscores the fact that the importance of hand washing has been neglected and the most vulnerable of our society are paying a price with their lives.
This sad reality must surely nudge us to refocus our attention on the health needs of our children by doing the simplest of things - such as washing hands. The challenge is that basic as this seems, it may be viewed as burdensome by others and unnecessary.
If the issue of hands hygiene could negatively affect the health of adults, one can imagine how much more susceptible children are to ill health if hand washing is not religiously adhered to by them and those who care for them.
The UN World Health Organisation puts the number of deaths of children at a staggering 600000 each year from diarrhoeal disease, with about 1400 dying every day. This is an alarming number of children who die because of preventable diseases and should make us stop to think about what our role is.
The Department of Water and Sanitation’s Hand Washing Campaign rolled out in October, known as Sanitation Month, is one of the ways it is highlighting the threat posed by unhygienic practices.
Through this campaign the department has been able to reach people from all walks of life, connecting with communities from far-flung areas of our country, to educate them about the importance of washing hands and the general benefits of hygiene.
Schools were one of the main targets for this campaign. Children learn, then are able to teach their families and pass on the message to their communities.
Despite the scarcity of water in this country and the persistent effects of drought, we must not neglect the importance of washing our hands.