1.7 million children die due to pneumonia and diarrhea annually worldwide, including Fiji.

The statistics was shared by the Ministry of Health’s Head of Health Protection Doctor Alisha Sahu-Khan at the Global Handwashing Day in Suva today.

She says the prevalence of infectious diseases were largely attributed to lack of hygiene, which increases the vulnerability of children to diarrhea and pneumonia.

Dr Alisha says the simple habit of handwashing can save lives, reducing the risk of acute respiratory diseases by 25 percent and diarrhea by 50 percent.

“It can dramatically reduce the risk of diarrhea and pneumonia, which are both serious diseases that can lead to death, especially in young children. Handwashing with soap also prevents the spread of common infections, such as influenza. It’s affordable, as the amount of water and soap used costs less than a dollar.”

Dr Alisha says there has been an improvement in hygiene but there is still a gap in the system, and has challenged other stakeholders to join the campaign on handwashing which will ultimately save a lot of lives.

The Global Handwashing Day was created in 2008 during the Annual Water Week in Stockholm, Sweden which was later gazetted as an annual event by Fiji in 2010.

Over 100 students from various primary and secondary schools convened to reflect on theme “Why Are Clean Hands Still Important?” at the Global Handwashing Day at Fiji Mission Conference Room in Suva today.