Hospital promotes basic hygiene

Main Stories, National
Source:

The National, Wednesday October 16th, 2013

 THE high rate of diarrhoea and infant mortality caused by unclealiness has prompted the Port Moresby General Hospital to use the World Handwashing Day yesterday to promote basic hygiene.    

Visitors and patients at the hospital were treated to a demonstration of basic hygiene focusing on handwashing using soap and water. 

The aim was to educate children and parents on proper handwashing as the first step to preventing diseases like diarrhoea. 

A hospital official said infant mortality caused by diarrhoea reported to the hospital was very high and that the health authority was taking preventive measures to educate the public. 

She confirmed that three out of five patients coming to the hospital for medical consultation had diarrhoea. 

She said indicators from the Department of Health showed that children under five were affected.