Today hundreds of millions around the world are gathering in schools, places of worship, and public spaces to celebrate a behavior that you may take for granted: handwashing with soap.
Handwashing with soap might seem basic: it can be done by anyone with a few supplies, such as clean water and soap. But don’t let that simplicity fool you. Good hygiene is an essential but sometimes overlooked component of good public health. For instance, it is the most affordable way to prevent diarrhea and pneumonia – diseases that kill 1.7 million children each year.
It’s also an essential practice for newborn health. The first moments of life are the most tenuous, so it is essential that the hands that deliver this new life are clean. The World Health Organization and UNICEF found that 35 percent of healthcare facilities in low- and middle-income countries do not have soap for handwashing. Without this key resource it simply is not possible for a healthcare facility to provide quality care – including delivering babies. Similarly, the availability of supplies does not translate to use. For handwashing with soap to be effective it must be practiced regularly and at critical times (such as before preparing food or after using the toilet). Handwashing with soap must be made a habit.
Despite the plethora of evidence about the benefits of this simple, affordable, and effective behavior, far too often handwashing with soap isn’t practiced. Why? Handwashing facilities are not always available, they may be poorly maintained or dirty, or they may lack soap or clean water. However, even when it is possible to wash one’s hands, the practice is far too often neglected, which is problematic because handwashing with soap is only effective if practiced regularly and at critical times (such as before delivering a baby). Handwashing with soap must be made a habit.
This is why Global Handwashing Day, the Global Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing, and Save the Children are calling upon everyone to use this opportunity to make hygiene a habit. From teaching your children to wash their hands to supporting WASH projects globally, we can all help make the world healthier and happier.
This Global Handwashing Day do your part to improve health and wellbeing: make handwashing a habit.