The washing of hands with soap was the theme of the first Global Handwashing Day (GHD) which was marked yesterday.
It aimed to inform parents of young children of the importance of washing hands.
"Some diseases including diarrhea and pneumonia are caused if hands are not washed properly with soap. The day focuses on children because they are more vulnerable to these diseases," Dale Rutstein, the GHD's main initiator and UNICEF China's communication chief, said in Beijing.
But few children know the existence of GHD in Beijing, even though some of them are aware of the importance of washing hands.
"I don't know today is GHD, but I like washing hands because mother told me it could remove germs," 4-year-old Zhang Ruiqi, a Beijing kindergartener, said.
Zong Liping, the girl's mother, said: "We taught her to wash her hands after using the toilet and before meals."
However, Yang Guang, a seventh-grade student at Beijing's Yinghuayuan Experimental School, said he did not care about washing hands.
UNICEF statistics show every year, 3.5 million children do not live to celebrate their fifth birthday because of diarrhea and pneumonia.
Handwashing with soap is among the most effective and inexpensive way to prevent it.
Source: China Daily
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article