ProWritersHub Contest W6 | Topic 5: Wash your hands regularly to stay healthy

_{Published on August 20, 2022}

About 80% of the disease-causing germs get into contact with the body through the hands. Research shows that one germ can multiply into eight million germs in just one day. These germs get to spread so fast. Since they are tiny microscopic organisms which cannot be spotted with the ordinary eye, it is quite easy for people to pick them as they go about their everyday businesses.

Germs are everywhere.

On flat surfaces, on the kitchen sink, on the surface of a personal mobile phone, on doorknobs, and even on an awkward object such as a dildo. Since the hand is the most frequently used part of the body, it gets to touch these contaminated surfaces, as such, it is recommended to keep the hands clean at all times, especially before and after eating food or fruits, visiting the loo and shaking hands with others. Hand washing is necessary after visiting places like the hospital or public places where you are most likely to be exposed to germs.

How do you wash the hands
The World Health Organization (WHO) had recommended some basic steps to keep the hands clean:

1. Wet the palm after which you apply soap on all the surfaces.
2. Scrub both hands together.
3. Rub right palm over left dorsum (i.e. over the back of the left palm) and vice versa.
4. Rub palm together with fingers interlaced.
5. Rub the back of one finger on the other palm and vice versa.
6. Wash the thumb.
7. Wash the tips of fingers on the center of the opposing palm.
8. Turn on the tap and rinse hands thoroughly.
9. Dab hands with a clean towel.
10. Use the towel when turning off the faucet.
11. Those hands are clean now.

_{Image from Pexels}

As illustrated above, the best way to wash your hands is by using soap under running water. In the absence of a tap, a person can ask another to pour water on their hands whenever they wish to wash it — you've got to be humble because you might have to do this for a child. Who knows?

Another alternative is using an alcohol-based sanitiser.

By washing your hands frequently, you get to eliminate any of the 1000 different types of germs. These germs could cause common diseases like diarrhoea, cough, vomiting, rashes, fever and some severe infections like cold, influenza or the dreaded COVID-19.

In the southern part of Nigeria, most people wash their hands frequently but not properly. There has been a minor improvement in recent times since health workers have tried sensitizing the masses on the importance of effective hand washing. To achieve better results, these steps can be adopted or maintained:

• Running sensitization programs on broadcasting corporations like televisions and radios, social media or at public places like the market.
• Publishing these messages on billboards situated at strategic positions in the city.
• Using the word of mouth. This is a very productive approach that I have applied that has yielded better results.

Washing the hands can not keep them entirely free from germs, however, it will limit the cases of falling ill easily.