Urge public to make regular handwashing vital part of daily life
Srinagar: Clean hands remain one of the strongest defences against contagious illnesses, doctors said on Wednesday.
Health experts told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that proper and frequent handwashing is a simple habit with far-reaching benefits, capable of significantly reducing the risk of various infections that continue to challenge healthcare systems globally.
Dr Gulzar Ahmad Bhat, a general physician at the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK), said it is essential for individuals, families, and institutions to make hand hygiene a consistent part of daily life.
“Handwashing is an easy practice, yet it is extremely powerful. It can break the chain of infection and curb the spread of numerous diseases,” he said.
According to Dr Bhat, washing hands with soap at the right moments reduces the chances of contracting illnesses such as COVID-19, diarrhoea, cholera, and various respiratory infections. These diseases, he said, remain among the leading causes of sickness and mortality, especially in low-resource regions.
Dr Gh Hassan, another doctor, said that hand hygiene is particularly important during “critical moments”.
“Cleaning hands before meals, after using the washroom, or following coughing and sneezing greatly lowers the probability of falling ill,” he explained. “For children, this small habit translates into fewer bouts of diarrhoea and respiratory ailments, which means fewer absences from school and better overall development.”
Dr Hassan informed that health workers regularly conduct awareness programmes and demonstrations in schools, hospitals, and community centres to teach people the correct handwashing technique and build long-term habits.
Doctors said hand hygiene is not just a personal duty but a shared responsibility, calling for coordinated actions from the government, NGOs, and community groups. Ensuring the availability of clean water, soap, and adequate sanitation facilities, they said, is vital to strengthening public health.
They also pointed out that handwashing continues to be one of the most economical yet impactful public health measures.
Urging people to adopt handwashing as a non-negotiable routine, the doctors said this straightforward practice can prevent millions of infections every year and ease the load on healthcare institutions—(KNO)
