Cape Coast-Ghana, Oct 26, GNA – Mrs. Justina Marigold Assan, Central Regional Minister, has called on Ghanaians, particularly traders, to nurture the habit of regularly washing hands with soap and running water.
She said handwashing was a simple activity and yet a powerful tool that had the potential to prevent numerous diseases and save lives.
At a sensitization programme on handwashing with traders at the Kotokoraba market in Cape Coast as part of International Handwashing Day, Mrs. Assan said, “Clean hands are a testament to one’s commitment to personal and public health.”
The engagement was in line with the commemorate of the Day established in 2008 and marked on October 15 every year to increase awareness and understanding of washing hands with soap to prevent diseases and save lives.
Together with Dr. Frema Prempeh, the Minister for Sanitation, quantities of handwashing equipment were donated to the traders after taking them through the rudiment of handwashing.
The traders were taught to first wet hands with clean running water, apply enough soap to cover all surfaces of hands and wrists, and lather and rub hands together briskly and thoroughly.
Thereafter, they should make sure to scrub all surfaces of their hands, fingertips, fingernails, and wrists for at least 20 seconds, rinse hands and wrists under clean running water and dry them with a clean towel or let them air-dry and use a towel to turn off the faucet.
Mrs. Assan said the human hand was a principal carrier of disease-causing pathogens that could be carried from one person to another and, therefore, proper handwashing with soap helped to remove germs from the hands and prevent the transmission of infections and diarrhea diseases, including cholera.
For her, it was time all Ghanaians put sanitation and hygiene practice into proper perspective because poor sanitation was not dignifying, but good hygienic behaviour promoted good health.
“Clean hands are within reach,” was the worldwide theme, but it was locally held on the theme: “Saving lives through handwashing with soap.”
Mrs. Assan said achieving the hand hygiene national policy would go a long way to help in achieving Goal six of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aimed at ensuring access to water and sanitation for all by the year 2030.
“We all have a role to play to ensure that people, irrespective of their geographical location, are provided with the needed WASH facilities to use, to live dignified lives in their respective communities,” she said.
Dr. Prempeh, the Minister of Sanitation, earlier during a media launch, called on the media to develop keen interest and strategically position themselves to promote hand hygiene throughout the country to provide a better future for the present and subsequent generations.
“We must advocate for improved hygiene practices among the populace. Let us work together to build a future where hand hygiene practice is a norm, where no one is left behind, and where our commitment to a healthy Ghana and the world does not waver.
“Through strong leadership and collective efforts, we can close gaps in access and practice to achieve hand hygiene for all.
“To achieve the benefits of handwashing, behaviour change is essential for making handwashing a habit and ensuring people wash their hands thoroughly at critical times, after using the toilet and before handling food (cooking, eating, and serving food).
To everyone and the country at large we should make handwashing with soap a top priority in our daily activities,” she said.
Mr. Dano Abbeam, a member of Traders Association, who accepted the items on behalf of the traders, thanked the Minister for her commitment to improving sanitation in markets.
He stated that while the 10 Veronica buckets presented to the Association were appreciable, more from the Ministry would have been better due to their large numbers.
