Keep Clean Hands for Health

Science and technology may be making a nation be great. However, the progress of a nation will be difficult to achieve if it does not have one of the important foundations, namely health.

However, awareness about the health significance is not enough. Health Policy Research based on data from 2010, the national percentage of people who smoke every day by 28.2 percent, a household which owns 55.4 percent of new healthy closet, mothers need to check your pregnancy with 6-8 types of checks only 56.8 percent, and normal hand washing with soap is less than 34 percent.

The estimated occurrence of various infection diseases in Indonesia, such as diarrhea, thypus, and dysentery are also quite high. Unusual diarrhea reported in 16 provinces in 2006 (according to World Bank data). Meanwhile thypus cases in Indonesia reaches an average of 900,000 cases per year and 91 percent occurred at age 3-19 years.

In fact, infection diseases can be prevented with simple and inexpensive measures such as washing hands with soap. A study done Katie Greendland from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, England, to find, custom wash hands with soap at key moments to prevent the occurrence of diarrhea up to 47 percent.

On the other hand, do not wash your hands at critical moments can cause diarrhea, including cholera, pneumonia, influenza pandemic, infection with a new birth, and infections among patients with AIDS.

"Bacteria cause diarrhea is actually derived from flies carrying the human dirt, water, land, and violations of finger food. Jimp prevention, ie, good sanitation and washing hands with soap," he said in media education held PT.Unilever Indonesia in Jakarta (14/10/11).

The world health body (WHO) also stated that both of our hands is the main entrance of disease germs into the body. That's why, in addition to carrying a healthy lifestyle, custom hand-washing with soap will reduce and prevent the incidence of a disease.

But the fact, Indonesia is not a point of community activities hand washing. It is reflected from the research done Yunita Wahyuningrum, health communication researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, which found lack of awareness in the public health aspects.

From the research revealed a new community soap hand washing if hands look dirty or smelly. "The visual aspect of a major impetus in washing hands with soap. If your hands look clean, they felt enough wash water use," he said.

He added, people still consider washing hands with soap is a waste of time activities. "Reason does not have a sink is also a major cause of why many people who refused to wash his hands," he added.

Critical time

Kathy explained, wash your hands should be done at critical times, that is, before eating, before processing food, after clean dirt baby, after using the toilet, and before menyuapi children.

Wash hands before food processing aimed at preventing the spread of bacteria causing food poisoning. Wash hands with soap also has to be before and after processing raw meat.

Meanwhile, after using the toilet or clean the baby's diaper, wash your hands will reduce the risk of infection with diseases such as hepatitis A and salmonella.

From the research data in the program, Maternal and Child Health Integrated Program digagas USAID and Unilever, to the habit of washing hands with soap on mothers in Serang, Banten, hand-washing habits revealed at critical times is still very low.

Only 5 percent of respondents who wash hands with soap before preparing food, 10 percent before a meal, and 1 percent before breastfeeding. While there is 0 percent of washing hands after bowel movements and when serving food.

"The results of this study led to Unilever, through Lifebuoy to do the program the importance of socialization clean and healthy lifestyle affecting children and toddlers," said Sarah Amalia Santi, senior brand manager Lifebouy, in the event the press meet the World Hand Washing Day in Jakarta.

Sarah adds, campaign clean and healthy lifestyle that Lifebuoy digagas consistently since 2004, bringing the theme of this year's 21 Days of Motion to Establish Healthy Habits.

"Movement of 21 days to form healthy habits at five key moments for 21 consecutive days without a break. The aim is to make healthy habits at this important time of the health behaviors in everyday life," she says.

According to Sarah, the range of activities to support this movement has already been run as programs, including training of school principals or teachers, doctors cilik selection, as well as seminars on the national level.

"We also provide instructive and fun tool for children so that they do not get bored and keep motivated to make healthy habits for 21 days," he added.

Movement 21 days to respond to Develop Healthy Habits this, Yunita optimism would not work. "Basically people want to do wash your hands, but it should be the process of change," he said.

He also believes the movement will be more effective because the main object of the movement are the children of the school. "They are more easily catch new things. Besides, if the children are reminding parents more effectively evaluated because the children are evaluated more honest," he said.