Bhubaneswar: Global Handwashing Day is observed every year on October 15. It is a global advocacy day which is dedicated to increasing awareness, advocating and understanding about the importance of handwashing as an effective and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives.

Global Handwashing Day was founded by the Global Handwashing Partnership. It is an opportunity to design, test, and replicate creative ways to encourage people to wash their hands with soap at critical times.

On this occasion Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik tweeted, “Hand hygiene is one of the most important aspects of leading a healthy lifestyle. On Global Handwashing Day, let's encourage handwashing with soap to limit spread of viruses to avoid diseases, and actively work towards achieving universal hand hygiene through collective efforts.”

The 2022 Global Handwashing Day theme is “Unite for Universal Hand Hygiene.” 

The first Global Handwashing Day was held in the year 2008, when over 120 million children around the world washed their hands with soap in more than 70 countries. Since 2008, community and national leaders have used Global Handwashing Day to spread the word about handwashing, build sinks and tippy taps, and demonstrate the simplicity and value of clean hands.  Since then, Global Handwashing Day has continued to grow. Global Handwashing Day is endorsed by governments, schools, international institutions, civil society organizations, NGOs, private companies, individuals, and more.

Here is the simplest and best ways to wash your hands:

-Wet your hands with running water and apply a liquid or clean soap bar.

-Rub your hands together to form lather.

-Scrub your fingers, palms, the back of your hands, wrists, between your fingers, and under your nails for at least 20 seconds.

-Rinse until the soap is all gone

-Dry your hands with a clean or disposable towel.