Clean hands save lives

The World Health Organisation organises SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands every year, a campaign that aims to raise the issue of handwashing for people involved in healthcare. The key message is to prevent the spread of antibacterial resistance by asking people to wash their hands at the right times - after going to the toilet and before preparing food. This lesson is also critically important in areas where poor access to clean toilets and insufficient hygiene habits are putting communities at risk.

Each year, diarrhoeal diseases kill over half a million children before they reach five years of age. Proper handwashing and adequate sanitation can prevent the spread of those diseases, reducing the number of cases by 30 per cent.

A girl from a Plan International supported school in Cambodia takes us through the important steps of handwashing.

We work to provide better access to clean water and better hygiene, putting water tanks and handwashing stations in schools, and teach children and their communities about the importance of washing their hands.