As part of the annual Global Hand washing Day (GHD) commemorations that fall on October15, the Minister of Health, Dr. Richard Sezibera, yesterday called upon parents to be exemplary to their children in proper hygiene practices.

"Personal hygiene is critical to human health and we call upon the entire public to practice it. Children in schools and at home should always wash their hands to avoid health problems. Parents on the other hand must set good examples towards upholding this practice,” Sezibera told The New Times.

Under the theme "Clean hands save lives,” the second annual GHD campaign puts a spotlight on the importance of hand washing with soap and water as one of the most effective and affordable health interventions.

According to a statement from the organization behind this campaign, engaging school children as effective agents for change is paramount.

In a related development, Sezibera recently called on school heads to ensure sustainable provision of safe drinking water as well as hand-water and soap at all schools citing it as a major way of curbing intestinal-worm infections.

Additionally the statement also says that higher rates of hand washing with soap would significantly contribute towards meeting the Millennium Development Goal 4 that aims at reducing deaths of children under the age of five by two-thirds by 2015.

Global Hand washing Day is an initiative of the Global Public-Private Partnership for Hand Washing with Soap, and is endorsed by a wide array of governments, international institutions, civil society organizations, NGOs, private companies and individuals worldwide.

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