Bolgatanga, June 23, GNA- All public toilets in the Bolgatanga municipality are to provide hand-washing facilities including soap, Mr. Rockson Ayine Bukari, Municipal Chief Executive said on Tuesday.

"The provision of safe and hygienic sanitation facilities and proper waste management services will surely eliminate contamination through fluids and flies and avoid contamination of food items. Mr. Bukari said this when he launched the Upper East Regional Public-Private Partnership for Hand Washing (PPPH) campaign in Bolgatanga.

He called on the people to make it a habit of washing their hands with soap, as it is the most effective, cheap and pragmatic way for combating the spread of germs.

"It is proven that, hand washing with soap at times after visiting the toilet, before feeding a child, before preparing food, before eating, after farm work and at all times that we need to clean our hands, can reduce the incidence of contamination.

Nana Azia Garbrah-Aidoo, National Coordinator of the Public-Private Partnership for Hand Washing explained that the programme was put in place to encourage everybody, especially, mothers and children to wash their hands with soap often in order to reduce morbidity and mortality among children.

She urged parents to make soap available for their children at all times adding, "you don't need so much soap for washing hands, yet it helps a lot".

Mr. Stephen Opoku-Tuffour, Regional Director, Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) said even though hand washing before eating was a traditional requirement, doing so with soap is a learning process which has been initiated with the aim of making it a habit for everybody.

The launching ceremony which attracted a large crowd including market women, chop bar operators, khebab sellers and school children was preceded by a route march through the streets of Bolgatanga with Placards some of which read, "Wash your hands with soap after visiting the toilet", "Wash your hands with soap after attending funerals or large gatherings".

School children later performed a drama to show the significance of washing ones hands with soap.