Hand-washing could save a million lives a year

According to research by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, if everyone routinely washed their hands, a million deaths a year could be prevented.

It is estimated that washing hands with soap and water could reduce diarrhoea disease-associated deaths by up to 50 percent.

The Department of Water and Sanitation in partnership with the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Education and various municipalities this week conducted a hand- washing education drive to mark Global Hand Washing Day.

Activities were held in schools around the province to promote washing with soap.