World Handwashing Day Kicks of Month of Awareness Activities

The Ministry of Health & Wellness is kicking off a month of activities beginning today with Global Hand-Washing Day. The events, in partnership with Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), are being celebrated under the theme, “Our future is at hand – let’s move forward together.” The Ministry says this is a call to action to raise awareness on hand-washing, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.  They are encouraging the business community and all organizations which have not already done so to set up hand-washing stations at the entrances to public and private buildings, at bus and water taxis terminals, at markets, shops, health care facilities and schools. The activities which will run through November fifteenth include education sessions and hand-washing demonstrations at the various vaccination sites, display of children’s drawings, and donation of hygiene packages, murals, information booths and hand-washing stations to schools. The Ministry of Health & Wellness and the WASH multi-sectoral body emphasize the importance of hand hygiene as it remains the first line of defense in preventing disease outbreaks. Agencies involved with WASH include UNICEF, the Belize Red Cross, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science, and Technology, Rotary Club of Belize, and the Belize Social Investment Fund.