By Amina Abdul Salam Dr Magdi Badran, PhD Immunologist, fellow, Faculty of Graduate Studies of Childhood said that five thousand children under five years old died daily due to diseases as a result of avoiding hand washing. Global Hand Washing. Day held recently in Cairo by the Ministry of Health and Population, in co-operation with the World Health Organisation (WHO) bureau here, aimed at raising awareness of the importance of hand cleanliness, especially at health care facilities and creating a healthy awareness among citizens. He pointed out that hand washing prevents infections passing between patients and health care practitioners. It also reduces the spread of germs that resist antimicrobial treatment, as well as strengthening the efficiency of health care. "Health care practitioners must wash their hands for at least 40 seconds with soap and water before dealing with a patient and also after exposure to body fluids as an effective and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives" Dr Badran said. Hand washing decreases intestinal parasites at a rate of 50 per cent and inflammations of the respiratory system at a rate of 25 per cent. It also reduces pneumonia in children at a rate of 25 per cent, Dr Badran said. He said that hand washing prevents infection by dangerous illnesses such as influenza, the hepatitis viruses, meningitis and typhoid. He said microbial sites are on human skin, the palm of the hand, nails and fingers. Global Hand Washing Day plays an important role in highlighting good practices for the prevention of infection and combatting microbes resistant to antibiotics.
