Special online event held to appeal for hand hygiene

INDIAN political, faith and community leaders took part in a special online appeal for hand hygiene and health to mark Global Handwashing Day Friday (15).

Uttar Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel joined His Holiness Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji (HH Pujya Muniji), the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance’s faith leaders and Unicef’s India’s representatives at a webinar to raise awareness about the issue.

This year’s webinar theme was “Our future is at hand - let’s move forward together”, with the emphasis on hand hygiene and its role in public health and safety.

Inaugurating the webinar, the Uttar Pradesh governor said, “It is important to motivate children to wash their hands as it is key to good health. Teachers, as well as parents, have a very important contribution in this.”

Founder and chair of the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance and president of Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh, north India, HH Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji said, “India has a large number of children suffering from impaired growth (stunting). It is estimated by scientists that children are becoming victims of stunting due to open defecation, unclean hands and unclean water.

“Impaired growth is a severe form of malnutrition. India accounts for 33 per cent of the world's children affected by stunting. Hence, many types of infections occur due to not washing hands properly with soap and lack of clean drinking water.

“In addition to raising awareness about washing hands with clean water and soap, it is critical as faith leaders and faith-based organisations to provide education and infrastructure to ensure WASH in schools and in homes. This is why this virtual inauguration of our handwashing stations and toilets has also been done today to bridge the gap and be the change.”

Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswatiji, secretary general of the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance (GIWA), said, “Handwashing is an easy and amazing tool; we have to protect our health as well as our planet's health. Almost two million children die due to diarrhoeal diseases and about 20 per cent of children die due to respiratory diseases.

“These diseases and deaths can be prevented by proper handwashing. But in the process, let us also not forget our mother earth and nature because sometimes the products, soap that we use to wash our hands are actually full of chemicals that harm our soil and water.

“On this day let us take the beautiful opportunity to remember the power of conscious consumption and pledge to use natural, organic soaps that are so frequently made across India by groups of village women and self-help groups. In this way we can stay healthy and our mother earth can stay healthy.”

Among others who attended the appeal were Prahlad Singh Patel, minister of state for Jal Shakti; Yasumasa Kimura, Unicef deputy representative for programmes, India Country Office; Imam Umer Ahmed Illyasi ji, president, All India Imam Organisation; Sardar Paramjit Singh Chandhok, chairman of Delhi Gurudwara Bangla Sahib and Nicolas Osbert, chief, Water, Sanitation, Hygiene (WASH) at Unicef India.

Unicef’s Yasumasa Kimura said, “Handwashing is one of the most effective and simple ways to stop the spread of many diseases and in Covid-19 it is the most cost-effective safety measure for your health. Faith leaders and faith-based organizations can contribute significantly and influence individuals and communities to adapt safe practices and make them part of their lifestyles.”