Children wash hands to save lives – Mozambique

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Children wash hands to save lives – Mozambique

7:39 CAT | 25 Oct 2016

Green savers (File photo)

Around three thousand children in Maputo participated in a hand-washing campaign aimed at reducing child mortality.

Called “High 5 For Handwashing”, the action began on the 14th of this month at the Ferroviário das Mahotas sports ground, in advance of World Handwashing Day. The initiative will continue in schools, telling children about the importance of keeping their hands clean.

The campaign is organised by Unilever Mozambique in coordination with the ministries of Education and Human Development and Health. According to Maria Sibia, one of the event organizers, the initiative aims to reduce child mortality and ensure the availability and sustainable management water and sanitation for all.

“We want to continue the campaign, as washing hands with soap is one of the best, low-cost ways of reducing preventable diseases like diarrhea, a major cause of child mortality,” he said.

According to National Director Gerrie Kapfidze, each participant of the “High 5 to Handwashing” campaign will teach five further children how healthy the habit of washing their hands with soap is.

“Children are taught that washing their hands with soap, particularly at five key times during the day, is one of the best ways to remove germs and bacteria, preventing them from contracting diseases or spreading them to others,” he said.

Every year, according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), preventable diseases such as diarrhea and pneumonia kill more than 1.4 million children under the age of five. In Mozambique, under-five child mortality is estimated at around 7.85 per cent, or 78.5 children per 1,000 live births.

World Handwashing Day is celebrated on 15 October each year and was established in 2008. The date is meant to further a culture of handwashing with soap before meals and after using toilets.

Source: Noticias