Since many diseases are transmitted by a failure to practise basic hygiene, Dettol in partnership with the Department of Basic Education embarked on a campaign to encourage children at local schools, including Parkhurst Primary, to wash their hands with soap and water.
Diarrhoea is the third leading cause of deaths among children under five and presents a major public health problem in South Africa. Research shows that washing hands with soap and water is one of the most effective ways to prevent diarrhoea and can reduce diarrhoea deaths by more than 40 per cent.
The campaign titled ‘Good health is in your hands’ focuses on hand-hygiene behaviour change. The mass media campaign encourages children and the public to pledge to wash their hands with soap and water.
Dettol installed Tippy Taps at primary schools which serve as cost-effective hand-washing stations for children. Tippy Taps are created from locally sourced materials including two-litre bottles with caps and a tube to funnel water together with posters guiding learners on how to effectively wash their hands.
Dr Susan Louw of the National Health Laboratory Service said, “One of the major risk factors in the spread of diarrhoea is that people do not follow good hygiene habits. We can change this behaviour by explaining the value of hand washing, and by making it easier for children to wash their hands.”
To pledge to wash your hands with soap, visit www.dettol.co.za. Each pledge received will help to provide resources to educate a child on hand hygiene.
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