As the world marks the 2015 Global Hand washing Day, people have been urged to increase the chances of longevity by maintaining good hand and general hygiene through constant hand washing. Global Hand Washing Day is a global advocacy day dedicated to increase awareness and understanding of the importance of regular washing of the hands with clean water and soap as an effective and affordable way of preventing diseases and saving lives. The day offers opportunities to design, test and replicate creative ways to encourage people to wash their hands with soap and clean water at critical times. Regular hand washing prevent germs and keeps one in good health. However, studies have shown that people risk good and healthy lives through the neglect of hand washing. According to the latest estimates of the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation (JMP), 32 per cent of the world’s population – 2.4 billion people – lack good hygiene practices and this kills and sickens thousands of people every day. Risks involved in not washing the hands regularly includes contacting diseases such as flu, diarrhea, food poisoning and other communicable diseases whose mode of transmission involves surface contact with infected fluids, especially from infected persons. Ways to maintain good hand hygiene includes: washing of the hands after having a hand shake with friends; before touching or eating food and after blowing of the nostrils or coughing. Also, the hands should be washed with water and soap after caring for the sick, touching pets or animals, after using the toilets or changing the diapers and after touching dusty surfaces. Although millions of the world’s population neglect the importance of hand washing thereby making themselves prone to diseases communicable through hand contacts, education and creating awareness on the importance of good hygiene, especially hand washing must be taught in schools and through the media so that more careless deaths resulting from poor hand hygiene would be avoided. Source: Vanguard