DAR ES SALAAM: BEFORE a child eats, after a mother changes her baby, or after someone uses the toilet, a simple action can make a significant difference to health, washing hands with running water and soap.
Although it takes only a short time, proper handwashing removes dirt and disease-causing germs that can enter the body through the mouth, nose, and eyes.
Yet, without consistent practice, contaminated hands can become a pathway through which infections spread among family members, schoolchildren, food handlers and the wider community.
This is why health stakeholders gathered at Kigamboni Health Centre in Dar es Salaam recently, to mark World Handwashing Day that is commemorate on October 15 each year, urging citizens to make handwashing a routine part of daily life rather than a practice observed only when hands appear dirty.
The commemorations brought together healthcare providers, WaterAid Tanzania, PRISM Communication and community members to promote hygiene and strengthen awareness of the role proper handwashing plays in preventing disease
. The message was that washing hands with running water and soap is among the simple hygiene measures people can practise to protect themselves and those around them.
Hands come into contact with numerous surfaces throughout the day, including door handles, money, phones, toilets and objects handled by other people. Some of these surfaces may carry germs that are transferred to food, drinking utensils or the face when hands are not cleaned properly.
For this reason, health education during the commemorations focused on washing hands at critical moments, particularly before preparing or eating food, after using the toilet and after caring for a child.
Proper handwashing is also important after cleaning a child who has used the toilet, handling rubbish or touching potentially contaminated surfaces.
Caregivers need to pay particular attention to hygiene because they can unintentionally transfer germs to children while preparing meals, feeding them or providing personal care.
For children, who frequently touch objects and play together, developing this habit early can help reduce the spread of infections at home and in schools.
Adults also have a responsibility to demonstrate the practice and create environments where children can wash their hands whenever necessary.
However, knowing the importance of handwashing is not enough. People need to understand how to do it correctly and have access to clean water, soap and suitable handwashing facilities.
Rinsing hands with water alone may not remove dirt and germs as effectively as washing with soap. Soap helps loosen dirt and microorganisms from the skin, allowing them to be removed during rinsing.
Through the ‘Mkali Wao wa Kunawa Mikono’ campaign, participants demonstrated their understanding of handwashing, while those who performed well received prizes.
The initiative sought to encourage participation and make proper hygiene a positive and familiar part of everyday life.
By turning health education into an interactive activity, it moved beyond simply telling people to wash their hands and encouraged them to understand why the practice matters.
The event also supported the ‘Usafi Ndo Zetu’ campaign, which promotes behaviour change and shared responsibility for hygiene in households, workplaces, schools, healthcare facilities and public spaces.
The message is particularly relevant in communities where inadequate access to water, soap and appropriate washing facilities can make consistent handwashing difficult.
Even when people understand the health benefits, the absence of these basic necessities can prevent them from putting their knowledge into practice.
Providing convenient handwashing points in health facilities, schools, markets and homes is therefore an important part of promoting lasting behaviour change.
Institutions and community leaders also have a role to play in ensuring that facilities are maintained and supplied with water and soap. Beyond protecting individual health, proper handwashing can help reduce the transmission of diarrhoeal diseases and some respiratory infections.
When practised consistently alongside safe food preparation, sanitation and access to clean water, it contributes to healthier households and communities.
As the World Handwashing Day commemorations concluded, the call is to sustain the message beyond the event and make hygiene a daily responsibility.
Parents were encouraged to teach children to wash their hands from an early age, while residents were urged to share hygiene information and encourage one another to maintain clean surroundings.
Ultimately, protecting community health does not always require complicated measures. Sometimes, it begins with soap, clean running water and a few moments devoted to washing hands properly.
The message is clear: Handwashing should not be an occasional response to visible dirt or illness, but a daily habit that helps protect families, prevent infections and build healthier communities.
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