GOOD HYGIENE:

WASHING HANDS AFTER VISITING TOILET IS IMPORTANT BUT NOT THAT NECESSARY

By Maritim Kipngetich

Research has shown that 65 per cent of the people do not wash their hands after visiting toilet. This revelation is shocking considering the fact that toilet is one of the many places people do consider to be dirty.

Human waste is seen by human beings as the most dirty thing that need not to be touched.

Posters are often placed outside toilets to remind people that they should wash their hands. In places where people are ignorant about washing hands after visiting toilets, these posters have played an important role.

A research conducted in the United States Universities showed that 70 percent of the people who visited latrines washed their hands, but after health officers decided to pin posters that remind them to do so the percentage rose to 86.

The research also showed that men are more likely to wash their hands if they are reminded to do so.

Cleaning ritual: Research shows that men are likely to wash their hands if their are signs reminding them.

In developed countries, people are wary about their health and therefore they are likely to wash their hands after visiting toilets. In other developing countries of the world that is not the case. Some people do not have even pit latrines. They use bushes and these have contributed to pollution of environment.

In last year February during a conference on Sanitation held in Africana Hotel in Uganda, Ugandan Health Minister Ruhakana Rugunda announced that 71 percent of Ugandans do not wash their hands after visiting toilet, cleaning their baby’s bottom and before eating.

He said poor hygiene practices were responsible for many preventable diseases in the country.

Water minister Ephraim Kamuntu (C) receives a plaque of himself from Postbank Board chairperson Grace Bakunda (R) as the bank’s managing director, Mr Stephen Mukweli, looks on. This was during the launch of the Postbank’s Water and Sanitation Loan facility in Kampala.  PHOTO BY FAISWAL KASIRYE ( Courtesy of Daily Monitor)

“But most of these diseases are preventable. It is about the hygiene,” said Rugunda. “About 30% of Ugandans have no adequate sanitation facility while 71% do not wash their hands after using a latrine, cleaning the baby’s bottom or before eating.” (Courtesy of New Vision, Feb 19, 2014)

Critics, however, have said washing hands regularly may weaken body immune system making the body vulnerable to diseases brought about by little dirt. They said dirt is everywhere and if people become more concern about washing hands, they will end up washing every minute they touch something because nearly everything we touch contain dirt.

Critics said people who wash their hands and those who do not are alike since people transfer dirt from one person to the other during handshake. They gave an example of people who pick their noses in public using bare hands and they will end up shaking hands with other people.

They further said everywhere has dirt and people should just be wary not to expose their bodies to obvious dirt they can avoid.