I am 99.9 percent supportive of Rwanda’s cultural practices except when it comes to the handshake. The dangers of shaking hands as routine are plain and clear for anyone to see. I wonder why Rwandans carry on with the unhealthy tradition.

Health wise, diseases like cholera, Ebola, diarrhea are spread through the handshake. These are dangerous diseases that can kill a person in less than a day or over time. A few years ago Ebola claimed thousands of lives in Uganda. If foregoing the handshake will save a life, then why not do exactly that?

For hygiene’s sake, why don’t we drop the handshake already?

Some people have poor habits when it comes to using their hands. How often have you seen someone reluctantly sneeze into their palm, wipe their hands on their clothes and walk on as if nothing terribly dirt just happened?

Should you go ahead for cultures sake and greet this person because they offered you a handshake? I don’t think so.

I bet very few people own or even know the importance of a handkerchief or tissue napkins.

Since no one can ever be sure about the immediate history of the person they are greeting—whether they washed their hands after using the toilet, sneezing or eating oily brochette, then more caution should be taken. People should consider walking with hand sanitizers or disinfectant wipes that they can use after holding hands with anyone.

Additionally, handshakes are weapons that an enemy can use to easily harm you. Toxin transfer can be done through a handshake. That is why very important people like presidents, senators, kings and queens and others in positions of power do not offer handshakes to anyone.
Besides, there are several other ways of greeting people.

There is a million ways to express respect for someone, and not all cultures shake hands as a sign of respect!

It is ridiculous for such a modernized world to hold to unhygienic practices, all in the name of culture. For sanitation and safety’s sake, handshakes should be dropped.

lillianean@yahoo.com