Aurangabad, Oct 14:
Hand hygiene is the most important way to prevent the spread of germs and infectious diseases from one person to another.
Many people do not wash hands before having meal and after returning from nature’s call. Hands with dirt become source spreading germs and viruses.
Until Novel coronavirus-19 spread, not much importance was given to handwashing for the prevention of diseases. But COVID 19 has really taught the importance of handwashing.
Educational institutions including schools, colleges and universities are playing an important role in creating awareness about hand washing with soaps in students and general public specially in rural areas.
Around 30,000 volunteers of National Service Scheme (NSS) from different colleges under the monitoring of NSS unit of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwaa University are create awareness washing hands.
NSS unit director Dr T R Patil said that hand hygiene practicing is not important only for health care providers, every needs to practice appropriate and effective hygiene to prevent spread of micro organism.
“We have adopted 185 villages in the district for awareness among from young kids to women. Each college will have to organise NSS volunteers camp every year. The volunteers show demo to villagers to clean hands and also distribute sanitisers and other items among them. We have hosted 185 camps so far in the villages. A contest ‘clean house’ is held in each village and top three selected house owners were honoured with cash prizes,” he said.
A Zilla Parishad (ZP) School located at Satara carries out a daily activity on washing hands. ZP School headmistress Manjushree D Rajguru said that they had made 10 teams of senior class students.
“Four members of each team daily give demonstration of how to wash hands
Students while washing hands sing a song on hand hygiene. Essay, slogan and other competitions are also conducted throughout year,” she said.
Sachin Patil, a doctor by profession, said that hand hygiene is one of the most important elements of infection control. “Washing hands with soaps properly can help prevent the spread of the germs (like bacteria and viruses) that cause these diseases. The is the best practice to keep children from getting sick and prevent the spread. It prevents illnesses and spread of infections to others.