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Peru to celebrate the Day of Hand Washing

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Next October 15th, the world will celebrate the World Day of Hand Washing, and Peru will  too, since Health and Education ministries are promoting such initiatives at all schools across the country.

With the slogan "Clean hands, healthy children," the Ministery of Health and of Education are encouraging the week of the hand washing at all schools with the aim to prevent diarrhea and reduce the impact of AH1N1 on people.

The logic is that a one minute activity could mean more years of life.

During the launching of the campaign done at Teresa Gonzáles de Fanning School, the Ministry of Health, Óscar Ugarte, said that these illnesses, that end in death in some cases, are related to inappropiate hygiene habits treating food, and washing hands improperly.

Carlos Felipe Jaramillo, World Bank agent for Perú, Bolivia and Ecuador, said it is fundamental that washing hands becomes a daily habit.

"Still a lot is left to be done," he said, after recalling that more than 100 countries will celebrate on October 15th the World Day of Hand Washing.

The World Bank is supporting this campaign.

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# David N says :
13 October, 2009 [ 16:22 ]

People down here are uneducated about sanitation and don't wash their hands after using the restroom. (If they bother using the restroom, often the street doubles as a toilet in Peru). It's disgusting.

# gringito says :
13 October, 2009 [ 17:08 ]

>> World Bank is supporting this campaign.

Seems that the bankers are also "washing" their "hands" from time to time....

# Mark says :
14 October, 2009 [ 09:34 ]

Previously I had plenty of nasty words for David N. but this time I agree with him.

As we all know hot water kills germs. Not one restaurant has hot water, including all the so called exclusive restaurants.

I do not even know if the reataurants wash the dishes in hot water.

There should be a law by the local municipalities to enforce the restaurants to install hot water.

# Viracocha says :
14 October, 2009 [ 14:50 ]

Hola todos,

In addition to Mark's comment, there should be a system of Health Officers who regularily inspect public food premises for that, as well as temperature control of foods, cleanliness & general hygiene practices.
An information/education booklet should be produced and issued to these premises, with fines being threatened if owners do not  correct malpratices after the inspector's report is issued.

But, on the other hand, it's Peru and this system could be flawed with bribes etc.

Well, maybe one day, si ? The other basic problem is that there is no free public health system....so the Government has no incentive to do this, as they are not paying for the consequences of illness from food poisoning.

Chau

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