It was children’s day on the 27th of May. I was at an event to give a talk on good hygiene to the children. In the course of the event, I had cause to use the bathroom. It was absolutely atrocious what I saw there. Children using the bathroom in really terrible ways while their parents watched. 

There were children urinating on the floor! In a bathroom that had modern conveniences! I could not find a toilet that was neat enough to be used…without water on the floor. Disgusting water in which millions and millions of germs were swimming and looking for another home. 

As if that wasn’t bad enough, as soon as they were done with the dirty deed, they all turned and walked right out of the bathroom. No hand washing…infact they were grabbed by the hands and shooed right out of the bathroom. Now this is doubly disgusting! First these children messed a bathroom that (I assume) was perfectly clean when they came in. In the course of that they got some germs on them and on their hands. Now without the hand washing, they were certified to go spread these germs to their friends waiting outside, through holding hands, sharing snacks or even just hugging. 

I was in shock! Please parents, remember that your children’s behaviour, attitude and health lie in your hands. If you don’t teach them how to use the bathroom, how on earth will they learn? If you don’t teach them how to wash their hands, or even how germs get into their bodies, how can they possibly prevent these germs from becoming a problem?

The shock I felt is the same one I feel when I observe people passing dirty places and spitting. My question is, if you found that place disgusting, are you not making it doubly so for people who would pass after you? First they have to deal with the site of your spittle and then confront whatever it was that you saw or smelt in the first instance. Perhaps, this person (person 2) may decide to spit too, for good measure and then we create an unending cycle of filth and disease.

Studies have shown that a significant reduction in the presence of diseases in the world was observed when good sanitation became a way of life. So it wasn’t so much because of the vaccines and anti-biotics, it was mainly due to good hygiene. In fact, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, respiratory infections and diarrheal diseases are known to be the greatest killers of under-5s. The reason is not farfetched, unwashed dirty hands being used to prepare foods, causing diarrhea or unwashed hands being put into mouths by children; people sneezing into their hands and shaking people who in turn inhale these germs…the means of spreading these germs could go on and on. To show how important simple hygienic practices are, it has been shown that in areas where hand washing was introduced, the incidence of diarrheal diseases and respiratory infections reduced by half. Let’s add numbers to this to make it clearer: if there were 20 children out of 100 dying every year from these infections, with the introduction of hand washing, this reduces to 10. From hand washing alone! 

This is so basic, so how come, we still have children who mess up toilets while parents look on in approval? Who is to blame? The Government who hasn’t provided an opportunity for this woman to be educated, so she knows what’s appropriate and what’s not? The lack of  ‘in your face’ health education programs to keep re-inforcing the hygiene message? The parent who should know better…if they have been given the opportunity? The children who go to school and have been taught to wash their hands after using the bathroom (we hope) and yet choose not to practice same? Or perhaps at every point that these lessons ought to have been taught, people looked the other way and felt it wasn’t their problem. That means it’s our collective fault.

We can rectify it today. Teach a child how and when to wash their hands. Teach them to sneeze into the crooks of their elbows and not their hands. Teach them to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds. Teach them to soap their hands properly and teach them to rinse their hands well.

Remember that an ounce of protection is better than a pound of cure…or in popular parlance, prevention is better than cure.

Here’s to a healthier you!