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‘Hand washing can prevent waterborne disease’

 People have been advised to maintain rules of hygiene such as washing hands with soap to avoid contracting waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea.

Water for People country director Kate Harawa gave the advice at Lirangwe Primary School ground in Malawi’s commercial city, Blantyre, on Wednesday during a Global Hand Washing Day commemoration.

The day, which was commemorated through children as change agents, was aimed at raising people’s awareness on the importance of washing hands with soap.

Harawa said most diseases which children suffer from are a result of unclean water and poor hygiene.

“It is recommended that people should wash hands all the time using clean water, but in times where clean water is unavailable, washing hands with soap helps greatly,” said Harawa.

Hygiene Village Project executive director Roy Khonyongwa said they are targeting children as change agents because they believe children can easily take the message to their homes.

During the commemoration, Hygiene Village Project distributed soap and leaflets to pupils and displayed some hand washing facilities.

The day was globally inaugurated on October 15 2008 to raise awareness on the impact of hand washing with soap to reduce diarrhoea.

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