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Global Handwashing Day Observed

Diarrhoea claims 50,800 children under 5 a year

Says Unicefand WHO report

Staff Correspondent
The Global Handwashing Day-2009 was observed across the country yesterday as elsewhere in the world with the slogan 'Oean hands, save lives'.
Over 50,000 schoolchildren across the country washed their hands with soaps at the same time to create awareness of proper handwashing before eating and after defecation.
According to a recent global report on diarrhoea released by Unicef and WHO, around 50,800 children under five die of diarrhoea every year in the country.
Some 20,000 students from different parts of the city thronged the Residential Model School campus in the city to take part in the handwashing/Campaign, iiviatearatmd 30,000 students tooki part another 50 different schools in other divisions.
The government and nongovernment organisations, including the Department of Public Health and Engineering (DPHE), Lifebuoy, Unicef, Save the Children. Brae, Sale, Plan. CARE and NGO Forum, organised the campaign with a view to promoting handwashing practice to prevent different types of diseases, including diarrhoea and respiratory infections.
As over 3.5 million under five children die of diarrhoeal disease and acute respiratory infections across the globe each year, handwashing can reduce over 40 percent of diarrhoeal disease, while 25 percent of respiratory infections.
Inaugurating the campaign, LGD Secretary Monzur Hossain said die government is committed to reducing child mortality rate by 2015, adding diat such campaign would help the government fulfil its commitment.
"Proper handwashing can help reduce the child mortality rate as well as to increase life expectancy significantly,” he said, calling on the guardians to encourage their children to adopt the practice properly.
Dr lyorlumun Uhaa. deputy representative of Unicef, said thousands of children across the globe dieofdiarrhoea) diseases, but simple practice like handwashing beforeeating and .Ilierd<-^attai auxswhugelAes. . ,y,
Through this campaign, people, especially children, would be encouraged to do this practice, the Unicef official said.
Hosne Ara Loma, product group manager of Unilever Bangladesh, said, "In the hand washi ng campaign, Bangladesh had a record in the Guinness Book of World Record last year and I hope we would also be able to sustain the record this year.”
A total of 75,000 primary and secondary schools along with 8,000 madrasas participated in the programme, she said, adding that the day was first observed in 2008. Since then, the day has been echoing and reinforcing the call for improved hygiene practices worldwide.
Meanwhile, Smiling Sun Franchise and Dettol observed the day through distributing free soaps and other campaign materials, including posters and leaflets.