The World Health Organization Joint Monitoring Programme reports that 85.6 per cent of Ghanaians lack access to improved sanitation and 12.8 per cent are without clean water.

The monitoring programme also projects that diarrhoea and pneumonia may kill 20,456 people this year in the country, adding that these deaths could be prevented through hand washing with soap.

Dr Afia S.Zakiya, Country Representative of WaterAid Ghana (WAG), an NGO, made this known on Wednesday in Accra at an education forum for the Nima community on the importance of hand washing to mark Global Hand Washing day.

This year theme: “Choose Hand Washing, Choose Health,” was in commemoration of the Global Hand Washing Day under the United States Agency for International Development, and the Global Communities, Water, Access, Sanitation and Hygiene of the Urban Poor programme.

The forum organized by Water Aid Ghana provided an opportunity for food vendors in the Nima community to be educated on good hygiene and sanitation to provide customers with clean water and soap for hand washing.

She added that similar activities were taking place in the Akuapem North District in the Eastern Region and Gushegu District in the Northern Region.

Dr Zakiya said WAG considered food vendors as one of their key hygiene promotion partners and that through them it would encourage other people to make proper hand washing with soap under running water a regular habit.

Ms Yvonne Kafui Nyaku, Communications and Campaign Officer of WAG, said the organization since its inception in 1985 had supported hundreds of communities and over one million people to have access to safe water and sanitation facilities and hygiene.

“WAG has over the years marked the day annually with activities designed to increase awareness and understanding about the importance of hand washing with soap as an effective and affordable way to prevent diseases” she added.

She called on government and district assemblies to ensure effective prioritization and funding to water, sanitation and hygiene to improve the health condition of all and sundry.

The participants with the help of a nurse demonstrated to them how to wash their hands with clean water and soap.

Some of the Participants who spoke to the Ghana News Agency commended WAG for the initiative adding that the education had enlightened their knowledge on the importance of hand washing.

They pledge to spread the knowledge gain to other people through community forum because proper hand washing and good sanitation is a shared collective responsibility for healthy living.