JALUKBARI, Oct 15 - Provision of safe water, sanitation and hygienic conditions are essential to protecting human health at all times, not merely during infectious disease outbreaks like the COVID-19. This was emphasised at a webinar on �Hand hygiene for all� jointly organised by the Centre for Participatory Action and Social Support and the Department of Social Welfare, Kamrup district, in association with the NSS Cell of Gauhati University, on the occasion of Global Hand Washing Day today aimed at creating awareness among the masses.
The conference started with a welcome address by Rubul Sarma, DSWO (i/c), Department of Social Welfare, Kamrup district. Sarma emphasised the need to organize such webinars to sensitise people, particularly the frontline workers and students, who are rendering yeoman service to the people in general and mothers and children in particular. He welcomed all the resource persons and participants for a fruitful discourse.
Addressing the webinar as a resource person, Anand Shekhar, eminent sanitation expert, New Delhi, said that initiatives targeting handwashing behaviour are complex and based on several promotional elements that have been adapted to the local context. Community-based approaches may be effective in changing handwashing and sanitation behaviour, he said. Shekhar, enlightening the participants on the hygiene scenario in India, said that currently, the maintenance of hand hygiene is being considered as extremely important in preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Hand washing also interrupts the transmission of other viruses causing the common cold, flu and pneumonia, thus reducing the general burden of disease.
Dr Mousumi Krisnatreya, Associate Professor, Gauhati Medical College, deliberated on the topic �Hand hygiene and mothers and child health�. The resource person explained to the participants the methods of hand hygiene and the importance of behavioural changes. She spoke about the key moments at which healthcare workers should comply with rules of hygiene maintenance while making contact with people, particularly children or their surroundings. She asked people to reply on frequent washing of hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after they have been in a public place or after blowing the nose, coughing or sneezing.
Dr Ranjan Kr Kakati, Director, Students� Welfare, Gauhati University, made the concluding remarks on behalf of the organizers and appealed to all the participants to reach out to all citizens to make them aware about proper handwashing to maintain a healthy environment.
The webinar was moderated by Dr Arup Jyoti Kalita, Director (hon), Centre for Participatory Action and Social Support. The participants from the social welfare department, Gauhati University NSS functionaries, and the Centre for Participatory Action and Social Support put several questions to the resource persons during the webinar.
JALUKBARI, Oct 15 - Provision of safe water, sanitation and hygienic conditions are essential to protecting human health at all times, not merely during infectious disease outbreaks like the COVID-19. This was emphasised at a webinar on �Hand hygiene for all� jointly organised by the Centre for Participatory Action and Social Support and the Department of Social Welfare, Kamrup district, in association with the NSS Cell of Gauhati University, on the occasion of Global Hand Washing Day today aimed at creating awareness among the masses.
The conference started with a welcome address by Rubul Sarma, DSWO (i/c), Department of Social Welfare, Kamrup district. Sarma emphasised the need to organize such webinars to sensitise people, particularly the frontline workers and students, who are rendering yeoman service to the people in general and mothers and children in particular. He welcomed all the resource persons and participants for a fruitful discourse.
Addressing the webinar as a resource person, Anand Shekhar, eminent sanitation expert, New Delhi, said that initiatives targeting handwashing behaviour are complex and based on several promotional elements that have been adapted to the local context. Community-based approaches may be effective in changing handwashing and sanitation behaviour, he said. Shekhar, enlightening the participants on the hygiene scenario in India, said that currently, the maintenance of hand hygiene is being considered as extremely important in preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Hand washing also interrupts the transmission of other viruses causing the common cold, flu and pneumonia, thus reducing the general burden of disease.
Dr Mousumi Krisnatreya, Associate Professor, Gauhati Medical College, deliberated on the topic �Hand hygiene and mothers and child health�. The resource person explained to the participants the methods of hand hygiene and the importance of behavioural changes. She spoke about the key moments at which healthcare workers should comply with rules of hygiene maintenance while making contact with people, particularly children or their surroundings. She asked people to reply on frequent washing of hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after they have been in a public place or after blowing the nose, coughing or sneezing.
Dr Ranjan Kr Kakati, Director, Students� Welfare, Gauhati University, made the concluding remarks on behalf of the organizers and appealed to all the participants to reach out to all citizens to make them aware about proper handwashing to maintain a healthy environment.
The webinar was moderated by Dr Arup Jyoti Kalita, Director (hon), Centre for Participatory Action and Social Support. The participants from the social welfare department, Gauhati University NSS functionaries, and the Centre for Participatory Action and Social Support put several questions to the resource persons during the webinar.
