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Effect Of Hand Washing On The Prevention Of Infectious Diseases In Public Secondary Schools
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According to WHO (2010) in the mid-1800s studies by Igan Z Semmel Wels,
in Vierina, Australia and Oliver Wenden Holmes in Boston USA established
that hospital acquired diseases were transmitted via the hand of health
community workers. In 1847 Semmel Wels was appointed as a house officer
in one of the two obstetric clinics at the University of Vienna
Allgemeino Kranken (General Hospital). He observed that maternal
mortality rate mostly attributed to Puerperal fever, were substantially
higher in one clinic compared with other (in 16 percent versus 2
percent).
He also noted that Doctors and Medical students often go
directly to the delivery suit after performing autopsies and had a
disagreeable odour on their hands despite hand washing with soap and
water before entering the clinic.
He Hypothesized therefore, that
cadaverous paticidts were transmitted via the hands of doctors and
student from autopsy room to the delivery theatre and cause the
puerperal.
As a consequence Semmel Wels recommended that hand be
scribed in chlorinated line solution before every patient contact
particularly after living the autopsy room following the implementation
of these measures, the mortality rate fall dramatically to 33% in the
clinic most affected and remain low thereafter.
As general rule, hand
washing protect people poorly or not at all from drops lifts and
airborne diseases such as measles, chicken pox, influenza and
tuberculosis. It protects best against diseases transmitted through oral
routes.
Certain materials or substances are used in hand washing and preventing diseases spread of illness includes:
1. Soap and detergent
2. Ash and mould
3. Hand antiseptic
4. Solid antiseptic
5. Anti bacterial soap
6. Alcohol – gel
Hand
washing with soap (H.W.W.SP) is among the most effective and expensive
ways of preventing diarrhea and pneumonia which together are responsible
for majority of child death. This behaviour is projected to become a
significant contributor to meeting the millennium Development Goals of
reducing death among children under the age of five by to third by the
year, 2015 October, 15 has been appointed to become global hand washing
day in accordance with year 2008 as the International Year of Sanitation
by the United Nation & (WHO,
2013).
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