HYDERABAD: As we observe Global Handwashing Day on October 15, we know that handwashing with soap is a powerful diarrhea prevention tool. Handwashing with soap could reduce the risk of diarrhea by nearly 30 to 50 percent. For handwashing to be effective it must be practiced consistently at key times, such as after using the toilet or before contact with food.
Handwashing, even with soap, will have little or no impact in such a situation! The 2016 Global Handwashing Day theme is “Make Handwashing a Habit!” While habits must e developed over time, this theme emphasises the importance of handwashing as a ritual behavior for longterm sustainability. For India, we should be reading this as “Make Handwashing— With Soap and Clean Water—a Habit!”
(Neeraj Jain is the India country program leader for PATH)