Uganda: Greenhill Academy Marks World Handwashing Day

Greenhill Academy hosted Uniliver Uganda managers on Monday to celebrate Global Handwashing Day, marked every year on October 15.

Over 100 countries across the globe mark the health day.

It was originally targeted for children and schools to promote handwashing with soap, but over time, more people embraced it.

At Greenhill Academy, Uniliver country manager, George Inholo encouraged pupils to use soap for washing hands in five key circumstances: while bathing, after using the toilet, before breakfast, before lunch and before dinner.

“Hand washing with soap is the most effective and an inexpensive way to prevent diarrhea and acute respiratory infections like pneumonia,” he said.

And with that, he added a critical statistic.

He said about three-and-a-half million children lose their lives to such health complications before they reach their sixth birthday.

Inholo narrated a story about his friend’s child who suffered from diarrhea and his parents had to spend about sh300,000 on his treatment.

But if he used wash his hands with soap and water, he says, the young boy would not have fallen sick.