Global Handwashing Day is observed on October 15, every year. This day was created to promote washing hands to make people realise the importance of handwashing with soaps. This helps in reducing and preventing diseases. Wikipedia says about 25-50 percent respiratory and intestinal diseases can be avoided by washing hands, at regular intervals. Each year, over 200 million people come together to celebrate Global Handwashing Day. The day tries to make people realise the importance of something as small as washing hands with soaps and reducing potential diseases that could spread with this practice. Global Handwashing Day 2018: Ways in Which Clean Hands Makes A Difference To Your Health.

Global Handwashing Day was formerly called "Public Private Partnership for Handwashing" (PPPHW). As silly as people think this day is, washing hands with soap is one of the most important things we need to teach young kids. There are way too many infections and diseases that can easily spread from dirty hands and fingertips. Know more about the date, significance and theme of this day. Global Handwashing Day 2018: Theme and Significance of The Day Dedicated to Hand Hygiene.

Date

The Global Handwashing Partnership, that was initially known as "Public Private Partnership for Handwashing", came into existence in 2008 as a way to promote handwashing with soaps.

Significance

This day is important and still looked over. The day focuses on educating children on the handwashing and how it can prevent loads of unwanted illnesses. Children are most prone to health issues if they don’t maintain their hygiene and similarly, with filthy hands, children easily fall sick and it may get serious. Global Handwashing Day tries to promote this by campaigning in schools and promoting handwashing with soaps among young kids and teachers. School may be the best years of our lives, but school is also the first place where illnesses go viral. It is very important children understand why they need to wash off the germs from their hands with soaps, at regular intervals.

Theme

The theme for 2019 is “Clean Hands for All”. The theme focuses on including everyone in a growth programme and making sure everyone has what it takes to wash their hands with soaps, regularly.

Washing hands with soaps is essential and can unknowingly prevent lots of serious health problems. Make sure you wash your hands with soaps regularly and don’t treat this as an unnecessary chore. It’s about your health!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 15, 2019 08:15 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).