Do you recognize how lucky you are to have access to soap and water to wash your hands?

Hand washing has become just another routine part of our daily lives that we unwittingly take for granted.

What does the hand hygiene gap look like?

40% of the world's population does not have access to basic handwashing facilities.

Access to safe handwashing facilities is something that World Handwashing Day has been advocating for since its inception in 2008.

On 15 October 2023, people around the world will take part in World Handwashing Day. World Handwashing Day is celebrated annually to promote handwashing as an effective and affordable way to prevent the spread of disease and save lives. Handwashing with soap and water is one of the easiest and most effective ways to stop the spread of pathogens and stay healthy. Keeping your hands clean can prevent 1 in 3 diarrhoeal diseases and 1 in 5 respiratory infections, such as colds or flu.

World Handwashing Day is an annual reminder that washing our hands with soap and water is one of the best steps we can take to avoid getting sick. This year's theme, "Clean Hands Within Reach," calls for coordinated action to ensure that handwashing facilities are accessible to everyone!

According to CDC research, educating the public about handwashing can

Reduce the number of people who get diarrhea by about 23% to 40%;
Reduce the number of school days children miss due to gastrointestinal illness by 29-57%;
reduce diarrhoeal diseases in people with weakened immune systems by 58%;
reduce respiratory diseases among the general population by about 16-21%.
That is why it is so important to wash your hands, especially at key moments, such as after using the toilet, before preparing food, before eating, and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.

Let's stay healthy! Let's keep hand hygiene!