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As the World Health Organization has declared October 15 as International Hand-Washing Day, the Health Ministry in coordination with the United Nations Children’s Fund and Education Ministry will hold health camps in 1,500 selected schools across the country.
The principal aim of the International Hand-Washing Day is to prevent children from various types of diseases they are prone to contract due to not washing their hands before meals, the Health Ministry said.
A Health Ministry spokesman told The Island that although there had been a considerable reduction of diseases prevented through injections there had been an upward trend in the spread of infectious diseases. Water-borne and Food-borne diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhea, hepatitis, dysentery and influenza were found to be on the rise.
He said that medical experts had concluded that the increase of these diseases could be attributed to lack of adherence to health guidelines of school children and adults. Hand-washing was a must in hospitals before meals but it was a common to see school children and adults deliberately neglect health guidelines.
He said that 3.5 million children under 5 years of age die of dysentery and pneumonia around the globe annually. In Sri Lanka about 167 children for 100,000 children would die of dysentery and pneumonia annually. The Health Ministry had drawn up a plan to expand awareness programs on hand-washing in schools in coordination with the private sector.
