City highlights the importance of cleaning hands

Region A Environmental Health Department celebrated Global Handwashing Day in Ivory Park on 13 October.

The event focused on educating community members on the importance of keeping their hands clean at all times, especially given the current coronavirus pandemic.

As part of their event, department officials with the help from Life 4 U Foundation, handed out bars of soaps and disposable face masks. They also showed residents how one should wash their hands properly, using the six steps for washing hands.

Region A environmental health practitioner, Sharlene Moshishi, explained as part of their event they were not just promoting the importance of handwashing but also promoting the enforcement of by-laws, and educating and driving an awareness on issues affecting communities. Primary healthcare officials also tested residents for HIV and other chronic diseases.

“We want the community to do proper handwashing by following all the six steps on handwashing. We want to let people keep in mind that there is still a global pandemic, therefore lets go back to the basics and wash our hands,” she said.

“We will also be visiting about 10 crèches to drive an awareness on the Chapter 14 by-laws of the Public Health, whilst enforcing the importance of handwashing.”

Mpho Mofokeng, chairperson of Life 4 U Foundation added that they collaborated with the Environmental Health Department to stress the importance of hygiene, toilet hygiene, as well as the six steps on how residents should wash their hands. “We want the community to be aware that because we have been plagued by a global pandemic, washing our hands is very important, not just using water, but also using soap.

“They [residents] should always keep a sanitiser in their bags and practise washing hands, before eating, after leaving a bathroom and also after touching things in public spaces,” said Mofokeng.

Final year student of the University of Witwatersrand’s Public Health Department, Sarah Benn who was representing her fellow students, said as part of their community outreach they were assisting where they could with the community health promoters.

“We are advocating for the practise of safe sex to stop the spreading of HIV and sexually transmitted infections – it is important to know your status, breaking the stigma by getting tested,” she added.