Girl: “Mom, I was taught at school to always wash my hands after I use the toilet”
Mom: “Sure, that’s true, it is very important to wash your hands because it helps take away germs which can make you ill.”
Girl: “Oh! Now I know why. Thanks Mom.”
Hand hygiene also known as hand washing is a very interesting practice, which has increasingly gained popularity globally. Awareness and practice of washing hands especially after the use of toilets has increased and recently many organisations are judged by the quality of their toilet facilities and if they have adequate provision for washing of hands.
Having clean toilets with clean areas to wash hands after use or at any time attracts people to a particular public place over another place, which does not have such provision. Also with outbreak of certain communicable diseases (for example, cholera, ebola, respiratory diseases like cough and influenza) people appreciate the need to wash their hands regularly.
Hand washing can be practiced by anyone and anywhere. It is a part of some people’s daily job (for example, food handlers, health care workers, amongst others) or just done generally as a routine by most people. Thinking about it, one may say it is difficult to find adults that go through a day without washing their hands, but on the contrary, depending on the level of development in an area, there may still be a number of people who do not understand the importance of hand washing and hence do not practice it.
Washing of one’s hands is not only beneficial to the individual, who practices it but also to the people around with whom the individual interacts. In the event of an epidemic, hand washing becomes very important in limiting the spread of and reducing the burden of the disease. The term “hand washing “may sound simple but it sure goes beyond mere pouring water over the hands for it to be effective. It is not only useful in cleansing the hands of disease-causing organisms like bacteria or viruses, it also helps take off unwanted chemicals from the hands. Knowing the role the hands play during feeding, where they are either directly involved in holding the food or indirectly involved when cutleries are used, it can be inferred that anything on the hand(s) can easily get into the mouth. Hence the need to keep the hand clean at all times.
A consequence of hand washing in preventing certain diseases by curtailing the spread is that it also reduces morbidity and mortality from those conditions. Health education on the importance of hand washing is required especially in low income areas (for instance, rural areas) where the practice may be lower compared to higher income areas (urban areas).
Hand washing with soap has become one of the most effective and inexpensive ways to prevent diarrheal and respiratory tract diseases, amongst others. There has been increased advocacy for hand washing by many health-related organisations globally. Also, there is need for the provision of safe, clean water for the same purpose.
A question may be asked on how many times the hands should be washed in a day, and the answer will be that the hands should be washed as many times as necessary. As Wikipedia says, hand washing is the act of cleaning the hands for the purpose of removing soil, dirt and microorganisms. It is a quick and simple preventive measure that does a lot of good. One would humorously say that it is only the microorganisms being washed away that do not benefit from the practice of hand washing. Generally, some common situations that require hand washing include:-
· Before and after using the toilet
· Before eating
· Before and after preparing food
· After touching waste materials such as animal waste, garbage and used diapers
· Treating wounds or caring for a sick person
· Before administering medication
· After blowing the nose, coughing or sneezing
· Before and after touching pets
Practicing the proper technique of hand washing is of immense importance. The effective method of hand washing involves the following steps:
· Wet the hands with clean, running water and apply soap
· Form lather on the hands by rubbing them together. Ensure lather reaches the back of the hands, in-between the fingers and under the nails.
· Scrub the hands for a minimum period of 20-25 seconds
· Rinse the hands well under clean running water
· Dry the hands with a clean towel or using an air dryer.
At times when there is no hand washing facility, alcohol-based hand sanitizers with at least 60 per cent alcohol can be used to thoroughly clean the hands.
It is evident that maintaining clean hands can save lives. Thus, organisations are encouraged to provide adequate facilities for proper hand washing as their contribution in preventing diseases that could spread from contaminated hands.
Health quote of the week:
“The power is in your hands to keep your hands clean!”