Health experts have stressed the importance of regular handwashing with soap and clean water to prevent the spread of germs and reduce the risk of diarrhoea and other infectious diseases.
Handwashing key to preventing infectious diseases
ISLAMABAD, Oct 15 (APP): Health experts have stressed the importance of regular handwashing with soap and clean water to prevent the spread of germs and reduce the risk of diarrhea and other infectious diseases.
On the occasion of Global Handwashing Day, they urged the public to adopt proper hand hygiene practices in daily life.
“Handwashing is one of the simplest, most affordable and effective ways to protect individuals and communities from preventable illnesses,” Dr Naeem Baig, a medical practitioner said.
He added that hands can carry harmful germs after using the toilet, handling waste, touching contaminated surfaces or coming into contact with raw food.
He said without proper handwashing, these germs can enter the body through the mouth, nose and eyes or spread to other people and surfaces.
General Physician, Dr Tahir Khawaja advised the public to wash hands thoroughly with soap and clean water before preparing or eating food, after using the toilet, after changing a child’s diaper, after coughing or sneezing, and after handling garbage or caring for a sick person.
He recommended rubbing both hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, ensuring that the backs of the hands, spaces between fingers, thumbs and areas around the nails are properly cleaned before rinsing with clean water and drying them.
He said that hand hygiene is particularly important for children, food handlers, healthcare workers and people caring for vulnerable family members, as it can help reduce the transmission of infections in homes, schools, healthcare facilities and public places.
He urged parents, teachers and community members to encourage children to develop the habit of handwashing from an early age, stressing that consistent hygiene practices can contribute significantly to healthier families and communities.
He called upon citizens to make handwashing with soap and clean water a routine practice, emphasizing that a simple daily habit can help prevent illness, protect public health and improve overall well-being.
