Do not ever wash your hands of responsibility. But make sure you wash them up to 20 times a day to keep the doctor away.
On the eve of the third Global Handwashing Day, health experts on Friday encouraged Filipinos, especially children, to develop the habit of proper handwashing, which has been proven effective against the spread of infections.
Studies have shown that repeated handwashing in a day cuts incidences of diarrheal diseases as well as coughs and colds by as much as 40 to 50 percent, Assistant Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial told reporters.
Disease prevention
The Department of Health (DOH), along with the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and the Philippine Public Health Association, participated in the observance of Global Handwashing Day with 1,000 public school children simultaneously washing their hands the proper way.
The global celebration takes place every Oct. 15—a day set by the UN General Assembly in 2008.
Friday’s event was hosted by the multinational consumer products company, Unilever, at SM Mall of Asia.
The campaign aimed at urging people around the world to clean their hands with soap and water as a major step to disease prevention.
Recent floods
“Proper handwashing is all the more relevant now in the Philippines as we face the most recent flooding that has affected many families in Bulacan and Pampanga,” said Timothy Grieve, Unicef Philippines water and sanitation chief.
He said that handwashing at critical times could reduce diarrhea cases by more than 40 percent.
“That’s more time at school, less time at home, more time with friends, more time for play and more time doing things that you love,” Grieve said.
The critical times to wash the hands include the periods before eating, after using the restroom, and after coming in from work or play, according to health experts.
Records from the DOH National Epidemiology Center showed that 9,050 Filipinos reported having suffered from acute bloody diarrhea in 2010.
Of that figure, nearly 30 percent, or 2,697 cases, were children aged 1 to 4 and at least 12 percent, or 1,143 cases, were aged 5 to 14. At least 20 people died of diarrhea.
Also in the same year, at least 99,857 Filipinos, the majority of whom were children aged 1 to 4, suffered from influenza-like illnesses, At least 21 percent of the cases involved children aged 5 to 14.
The health agency recorded 162 deaths due to influenza-like diseases.
Two Happy Birthday songs
Eight-year-old Micah Aquino, a Grade 3 student from Marcela Marcelo Elementary School in Malibay, Pasay City, said she washes her hands thoroughly three times before eating and after coming home from school. She learned the proper way of handwashing at Friday’s activity.
According to Ubial, the correct way to wash the hands should take about 20 to 30 seconds, or about the length of two “Happy Birthday” songs, and this should be done at least 20 times a day.
The back of the hands, under the nails and in between fingers must be scrubbed well with soap.
Ubial also said the health agency was encouraging restaurants, people in charge of playgrounds and other establishments which children frequent to set up handwashing facilities separate from the restroom.
In public schools where comfort rooms are limited, handwashing facilities must be set up, she said.