Zim marks Global Handwashing Day

ZIMBABWE yesterday joined the rest of the world in commemorating the Global Handwashing Day, with this year’s theme focusing on eradicating cholera.

The commemorations under the theme: “Kick Out Cholera” were held at Glen View 3 Primary School and were attended by senior Government officials, Unilever health experts and pupils from different schools.

In a speech read on his behalf by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education principal director Mr Peter Muzavazi, Minister Paul Mavima said the Global Hand Washing Day was critical component in ensuring pupils and children grew up in safe environment and enjoy full protection from good hygienic practices.

He said handwashing was important in saving lives, making food safe to eat, preventing diarrhoeal diseases and helping children grow strong.

“As we mark this Global Handwashing Day, we must reflect on the bigger picture of making Zimbabwe an upper middle-income country by the year 2030. This calls for friendly schools where there is maximum collaboration

by the providers of education, health and water. This commemoration comes at a time when the nation recently had cholera outbreak. The Glen View community was among the affected areas hence the theme; ‘kick out cholera’ is meant to remind us that indeed cholera can be kicked out forever,” he said.

Minister Mavima said it was sad that every year many lives, particularly children, were lost globally to diseases that could be prevented through