Handwashing campaign to prevent sicknesses and save lives

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Hand washing reduces the incidence of diarrhea by almost 50%, and respiratory infections by nearly 25% !

Colombo, 25th October 2011 : In concurrence with the Global Handwashing Day which was celebrated globally on the 15th of October 2011, Lifebuoy, the premier germ fighter care brand of Unilever Sri Lanka has launched a series of long-term public awareness campaigns to enhance knowledge among citizens how handwashing can save lives and prevent common yet life threatening illnesses.

Children suffer disproportionately from diarrheal diseases – with 1.5 million children under five dying every year from diarrhea and pneumonia‐related illnesses. It is estimated that children miss 272 million days annually of school due to diarrhea. The simple act of washing hands with soap at critical moments (such as after using the toilet and before handling food) is a key cost‐effective and life‐saving intervention. Research has shown that handwashing with soap can reduce the incidence of diarrhea among children under five by almost 50%, and respiratory infections by nearly 25%. In many developing countries, it is not the lack of soap that is usually the barrier – with the vast majority of poor households having soap in the home – rather, the problem is that soap is rarely used for handwashing.

Unilever is part of the Public-Private Partnership initiative for handwashing (PPPHW) promotion which was initiated in Stockholm in 2008 and the global date was declared by the UN General Assembly in accordance with the International Year of Sanitation which was also celebrated in 2008.

Lifebuoy as part of its CSR program endeavors to create lasting behavior change among citizens, especially children to ensure that handwashing with soap becomes a standard health practice. Commenting on the day, Marketing Manager of Skin Cleansing Ms. Sharmila Bandara said, “Global Handwashing day has international significance as this day is endorsed by the United Nations. Initiatives are organized in over 100 countries that involve the participation of over 200 million people. Lifebuoy has been a partner of this initiative since its global inception.” Bandara also said the objectives of the initiative are to reduce the incidences of diarrhea and pneumonia in the community by promoting handwashing with soap.

The Lifebuoy Senior Brand Manager, Saumya Perera, elaborated on some of the efforts Lifebuoy will be undertaking. “This year's theme for Global Handwashing Day is: 'More Than Just a Day', Therefore the Lifebuoy initiatives will be carried out for a longer period of time as we aim to educate the public leading to a behavioural change leading them to carry that knowledge forward for a lifetime. In order to do this our Lifebuoy handwashing trucks were mobilized at grass-root levels to spread the message of the importance of washing hands with soap.

Our expert teams demonstrate how to wash hands correctly and basically reminds everyone of the importance of this simple step in good hygiene.

We aim to directly touch 1million consumers with this message and those visiting the trucks will be able to take part in the 1 million challenge. Lifebuoy continues to be with the community, ensuring they live life without fear of germs”