SA's handwashing breaks a Guinness World Record
The United Nations declared the 15th of October as ‘Global Handwashing Day’ for all countries to promote the washing of hands with soap. This global campaign is dedicated to raising awareness of handwashing with soap as the most effective and efficient approach to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. Countries started with this campaign in 2008 and have since made it an annual event. With the outbreak of H1N1, commonly known as swine flu, this campaign could reduce the spread of such diseases. Washing hands with soap and water removes bacteria and prevents the transmission of infectious diseases.
In Johannesburg, rugby star Bryan Habana held his ‘Gimme five for germ-free hands’ Protex campaign with Edenglen and Eastleigh Primary schools and broke the Guinness World Record by washing 1 802 hands in less than 20 seconds. Children had to first get their hands dirty by dipping them in multi-coloured paint, forming handprints for a South African flag with Bryan Habana's help. The event was organised by Protex and the Department of Water Affairs in an effort to promote national WASH (water sanitation and hygiene).
‘I am proud to be the Protex Ambassador and to hold a Guinness World Record; the reason for my participation is to show how to use antibacterial soap in preventing the spread of diseases by washing hands’, says Brian Habana. According to Carl Saville, an adjudicator for Guinness World Records, the record was previously held by 1 213 participants at Banani Biddwa Niketon School of Dhaka in Bangladesh, and was set on 22 October 2008. Habana says: ‘Educating our children now about the advantages of proper hygiene will save thousands of lives in the future. I am proud to be part of this important campaign which will uplift communities across South Africa by keeping them healthy and aware of healthy habits.’
According to the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC), handwashing with soap is among the most effective and inexpensive ways to prevent diarrheal diseases and pneumonia, which together are responsible for the majority of child deaths. Every year, more than 3.5 million children do not live to celebrate their fifth birthday because of diarrhoea and pneumonia. The WSSCC believes that more handwashing with soap would make a significant contribution to meeting the Millennium Development Goal of reducing deaths among children under the age of five by two-thirds by 2015. According to the United Nations South Africa has a child mortality rate of 66 per 1000 live births, meaning that 32 000 children die before they turn five.
The key message is to wash hands with soap after using the toilet and handling children’s faeces and napkins, rubbish, or playing with animals, as well as after sneezing and coughing. Before eating or handling food washing hands become necessary.
During the handwashing process the learners were given eight steps to follow:
1. Wet your hands with water; if you use a tap close it
2. Apply soap to your hands
3. Rub palms together
4. Rub the back of your hands and in between your fingers
5. Clean your fingernails
6. Wash your wrists
7. Open the tap to rinse your hands with clean water
8. Dry your hands with air or paper towel; if not available just allow them to dry naturally
Compiled by :
Hlengiwe Cele
Knowledge Dissemination Officer
Tel: 012 3330 9006
hlengiwec@wrc.org.za