Are You Washing Your Hands Enough? Here’re 6 Things You Must Know

The simple act of washing hands can go a long way in maintaining hygiene and providing protection against diseases.

A little act of hygiene can go a long way in saving lives.

(Photo: Saumya Pankaj/The Quint)

(15 October is observed every year as Global Handwashing Day to motivate and mobilize people to improve their handwashing habits. FIT is republishing this story from its archives in this light)

Good hand hygiene is needed to prevent sepsis, a potential life-threatening condition which affects over 30 million people globally every year, as per the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Handwashing with soap could prevent about 1 out of every 10 cases of diarrheal illnesses and almost 1 out of 6 cases of respiratory infection like pneumonia. Diarrheal illnesses along with pneumonia kill 1.4 million children under the age of 5 every year, according to a 2016 UNICEF report.

To further accentuate the importance of washing hands, here are six simple pointers to keep in mind.

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(Photo: Saumya Pankaj/The Quint)

(Photo: Saumya Pankaj/The Quint)

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(Photo: Saumya Pankaj/The Quint)

(Photo: Saumya Pankaj/The Quint)

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(Photo: Saumya Pankaj/The Quint)

(Photo: Saumya Pankaj/The Quint)

(Global Handwashing Day is observed on 15 October to draw attention to how a small act of hygiene can go a long way in saving lives.)