Deaths amongst children aged five years and younger, is one of the most significant indicators to measure the health status of a Country in accordance to the Health Act of 2003; the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 108 of 1996; the IDP; World Health Organisation Guidelines; Millennium Goals and the Key Performance Areas of Municipal Health Services.
Statistics have proven that since the start of the global hand wash effort in 2008, approximately one million less children under the age of five years have died till 2013. Through intervention of the Environmental Health Practitioners of the Eden District Municipality, the habit of proper hand wash programmes was establish with ongoing projects the past few years. The hand wash programme is aimed at learners who are still in crèches. Washing hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and clean running water, is the most effective and inexpensive way to prevent diarrhoea disease, acute respiratory and other infections which causes deaths amongst children under the age of five years. How true the statement, ‘your health is in your own hands’.
