Doctor says most diarrhea diseases are avoidable

Dr. Kofi Sutherland, District Health Director of Ahanta West, has said research had shown that diarrheal diseases could be avoided when people wash their hands with soap regularly.

He said research conducted in the United Kingdom showed that people who used credit cards and physical money were at a higher risk of contracting diseases due to transfer of micro-organisms from one source of transaction to the other.

Dr. Sutherland said in Ghana, hand shake at funerals and other social gatherings, handling of mobile phones, changing of children diapers and visiting places of convenience without washing the hands with soap and running water was a sure way of transmitting diseases.

He said this on Monday at the celebration of Global Hand washing Day celebration at Adjua in the Ahanta West District under the theme: “Five Years of Global Hand washing: Going beyond the Fifth Birthday of Children”.

He said last year, for instance, there was a cholera outbreak in the district simply because an individual failed to wash his hand with soap and water after using the lavatory and rather dipped it in the well that provided the whole community with water.

This, Dr. Sutherland said, prompted organizers of the Regional celebration to take the event to the district to sensitize them on the need for proper hand washing using soap and water.

Mr. Joseph Jonah, Chief Engineer at the Regional Office of the Community Water and Sanitation Agency said the “Truly Clean Hands” campaign to motivate mothers and caregivers of children under five has yielded some results over the years and stressed the need for the gains to be consolidated.

He said the Day in Ghana sought to raise awareness on the link between proper hand washing with soap and the prevention of diarrheal and respiratory infections as well as preventing the spread of cholera.

Mr. Joseph Dofoyenah, District Chief Executive of Ahanta West, called for sustainable education programmes aimed at reminding the citizenry of the need to keep a clean environment and observe good hygiene.

“We need to adopt a new paradigm shift in attitudinal change in the management of our daily lives. Let us encourage each other to practice hand washing with soap,” he said.