Morobe marks Handwashing Day

MOROBE province is making handwashing a priority in the aftermath of  the cholera and dysentery outbreaks and that showed when they to celebrated the Global Handwashing Day yesterday.
A launching ceremony was held at the Morobe disaster centre yesterday morning to start an awareness campaign which was successfully carried out by government and non-governmental organisations.
Three key officials with the Health Department and provincial government were present to deliver talks to than 200 people at the centre.
Coordinator for the Morobe outbreak taskforce Dr Victor Golpak, who is from the Department of Health, said the day came at an appropriate time for the people of the province.
He said much awareness had been carried out by partner groups, stressing the importance of washing and having clean hands at all times.
He said the province got to know that the practice of washing hands at all times was a global message and could be very effective in avoiding diseases like cholera, dysentery and common diarrhoea.
Dr Golpak said: “Hands are the principal carriers of disease-causing germs and hand washing with soap is the most effective and inexpensive way to prevent diarrhoea and pneumonia.
“Hands should be washed after using the toilet, after cleaning a child’s bottom and before handling food.”
Deputy administrator for corporate affairs Geowing Bilong said: “Where there is health, there is wealth.”
Morobe provincial programme adviser for health Dr Likei Theo chose a military analogy when he addressed the crowd.
He referred to germs as “enemies” and said that the practice of washing hands was a “strategy” that could kill millions of germs.