10.15.18
Today is Global Handwashing Day! Every year, 1.5 million people die from diarrheal disease. Of those deaths, 58% are directly related to water, sanitation, and hygiene. The Centers for Disease Control states that proper handwashing can reduce these deaths by up to 50%.
This year, the Global Handwashing Day theme focuses on the links between handwashing and food – including food hygiene and nutrition. Handwashing is an important part of keeping food safe, preventing diseases, and helping children grow strong. The tagline, Clean hands – a recipe for health, reminds people to make handwashing a part of every meal.
Here are a few ways you can make a difference this Global Handwashing Day:
This year, the Global Handwashing Day theme focuses on the links between handwashing and food – including food hygiene and nutrition. Handwashing is an important part of keeping food safe, preventing diseases, and helping children grow strong. The tagline, Clean hands – a recipe for health, reminds people to make handwashing a part of every meal.
Here are a few ways you can make a difference this Global Handwashing Day:
- Wash your hands with soap at critical times, especially before eating, cooking, or feeding others.
- Model good handwashing behavior, and remind or help others to always wash their hands before eating.
- Make handwashing part of your family meals.
- Establish places to wash your hands in the household, in your community, in schools, workplaces, and in health facilities.
- Promote effective handwashing behavior change in research, policy, programs, and advocacy.
Global Handwashing Day is a global advocacy day dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding about the importance of handwashing with soap as an effective and affordable way to prevent diseases. Global Handwashing Day is an opportunity to design, test, and replicate creative ways to encourage people to wash their hands with soap at critical times.
To help spread the word about proper hand hygiene, make a donation to Clean the World.
To help spread the word about proper hand hygiene, make a donation to Clean the World.