Global Handwashing Day is an annual event that takes place on October 15th. It 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 and save lives. The day is an opportunity to design, test, and replicate creative ways to encourage people to wash their hands with soap at critical times.
Positive aspects of handwashing with soap include:
- It is an effective and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives.
- It removes certain germs that hand sanitizers don’t kill, including germs that cause diarrhea such as norovirus, Cryptosporidium, and Clostridioides difficile.
- It removes harmful chemicals like pesticides and heavy metals.
Negative aspects of handwashing with soap include:
- Water alone is not suitable for cleaning soiled hands; soap or detergent must be used to dissolve fatty materials and facilitate their subsequent flushing with water.
- If the water is considered potentially unsafe for handwashing, the use of antibacterial soap alone may not be adequate.
Ingredients or materials used in handwashing with soap include:
- Soap or detergent must be used to dissolve fatty materials and facilitate their subsequent flushing with water.
- The physical, chemical, and microbiological characteristics of water to be used for handwashing in healthcare institutions must meet local regulations.
In conclusion, handwashing with soap is an effective and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives. It removes certain germs and harmful chemicals. However, water alone is not suitable for cleaning soiled hands, and if the water is considered potentially unsafe for handwashing, the use of antibacterial soap alone may not be adequate. Soap or detergent must be used to dissolve fatty materials and facilitate their subsequent flushing with water, and the water used for handwashing must meet local regulations.
