The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) joins the Global Handwashing Day (GHD) 2021 on October 15 with the theme “Our Future is at Hand – Let’s Move Forward Together”.

GHD is a global advocacy dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding about the importance of handwashing with soap as an easy, effective, and affordable way to prevent diseases.

PRC Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) unit spearheads the event to reach a million children and educate them on the importance of proper handwashing.

A webinar will be held on the event day itself, covering relevant topics and key messages on proper hand hygiene.

PRC chairman Senator Richard Gordon said in a news release on Saturday that diarrhea, cough, colds, pneumonia, and skin rashes can be prevented by proper handwashing.

PRC chapters have built WASH facilities in schools and communities and provided portable handwashing facilities and drumvatories (steel drums as handwashing facilities) in schools, markets, and isolation facilities as part of the Covid-19 response.

Since the pandemic started last year, experts have repeatedly stressed that washing hands will prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The Global Handwashing Day international news release on Friday said globally, 2.3 billion people still lack access to a basic handwashing facility.

“Although the pandemic led to an overall increase in handwashing rates, practices have not increased equally and for people living in fragile settings. We must ensure that handwashing behaviors are supported and sustained for everyone, everywhere.” the statement read.

The first Global Handwashing Day was held in 2008, when over 120 million children around the world washed their hands with soap in more than 70 countries. (PNA)