KARACHI: In the small house located in the Machar Colony, the biggest slum of country’s commercial hub of Karachi, confused Sakina is sitting with her four years old ailing son Siddiq, suffering with diarrhoea and she is unable to figure out what to do for his better health. Another son Suleman died two years ago due after suffering with loose motions. Outside the house, large numbers of children were playing on the heaps of garbage.

According to data of international organizations, every year, it is estimated that over 600,000 children’s lives under the age of five could be saved through handwashing with soap, by reducing the incidence of diarrhoea by 48% and pneumonia by 23%.

On Thursday (Today, October 15, 2015), as countries across the globe arranged different activities to highlight the importance of hand washing by celebrating the Global Hand Washing Day-2015, most of the children in this slum will be suffering from skin diseases with no doctors or a clinic to attend them in the vicinity.

This year’s Global Hand washing Day follows the historic adoption of the new United Nations’ Global Goals on Sustainable Development for 2030. The goals, which were agreed on by 191 countries including Pakistan contain a goal focused on access to water, sanitation and hygiene for all.

According to the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey conducted in 2013, almost 53,000 children under five years of age die because of diarrhoea – a disease which is directly linked with poor quality water, sanitation and hygiene. Out of every 1000 live births almost 104 children die before reaching their fifth birthday. Lives can be saved by improved water, sanitation and hygiene facilities and provision of access to health services. Various studies and researches have proved that the hand washing with soap can avert the incidence of diarrhoea and pneumonia by up to 16%.

In a statement issued ahead of Global Handwashing Day, WaterAid, a UK based international charity, strongly support the inclusion of the following indicator for hygiene under target 6.2 and request that member states consider further in their discussion on the framework.

“According to the World Health Organization, providing soap and improving hygiene practices can cut cases of diarrhoea by up to 53%. This speaks volumes about the importance of water, sanitation and hygiene in our lives. This day, which is indeed a global advocacy day will not increase awareness, but also enhance understanding about the importance of hand-washing. In a nutshell, it means preventing waterborne diseases and saving lives by an affordable way for poorest and most vulnerable. Global Hand-washing Day should be celebrated with full zeal” states a statement issued by Water-Aid. The statement further added that in Pakistan people spend huge amount of money on treatment of diseases that could be easily prevented through proper hand washing with soap. “We have put special focus on promoting good hygiene behaviour. Alongside women’s organisations, health, education and marketing partners, we are delivering effective campaigns to eliminate bad hygiene practices, such as defecating in the open,” said the statement.

Governments, civil society, national and international sector partners and corporate sector should work together to address this issue in Pakistan.

Celebrated annually on October 15, Global Hand-washing Day was founded by the Global Public-Private Partnership for Hand-washing, and is an opportunity to design, test, and replicate creative ways to encourage people to wash their hands with soap at critical times.

On the occasion of Global Hand-washing Day, WaterAid is calling for member states to fully commit to this agenda by including an indicator for hand-washing in the measurement framework.