Tanzania: Hand Washing Important in Preventing Diseases – Official

Morogoro — ABOUT 3.5 million children die every year worldwide from endemic diseases emanating from unhygienic environment.

Addressing Tandai villagers during the Global Hand Washing Day early this week, Morogoro Municipality Planning and Statistics Officer, Mr Yassin Msangi, said hand washing is an effective way to prevent diseases.

“Hand washing is a hygienic behaviour that provides necessary protection against cholera and other common endemic gastroenteric infections, which claim the lives of millions of children in developing countries,” said Mr Msangi after handing over the newly constructed water, sanitation and hygiene facilities at Kinole Primary School.

The project dubbed WASH has been carried out by the Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), under the Replenish Africa Initiative (RAIN). TCCC Communications and Public Relations Manager, Mr Evans Mlelwa said with an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities his company focuses on initiatives that promote environmental conservation.

“This is one of the 15 schools in the country where Coca-Cola Company and the USAID have partnered to implement a WASH project under RAIN,” he said. According to the Coca- Cola Africa Foundation Communications Manager, Ms Dorcas Onyango, her foundation’s mission is to enable African communities to improve the quality of their lives and fulfill their potential.

“It focuses on four key areas of community investment: Water, preventive health, education and entrepreneurship,” she said. She said that in response to severe water challenges faced by nearly 300 million Africans living without access to clean water, the Coca-Cola Africa Foundation introduced the Replenish Africa Initiative (RAIN) in 2009.

She pointed out that the company’s foundation introduced the Initiative to address challenges faced by about 300 million Africans living without access to clean water in the continent.

The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation (TCCAF) joined the rest of the world on Monday to mark the fifth anniversary of Global Hand Washing Day 2012, aimed at increasing awareness and understanding of the importance of hand washing with soap as an effective and affordable way to prevent diseases.