Health Experts Emphasize Importance of Handwashing

Public health leaders in Kenya are strongly reaffirming the critical role of handwashing in disease prevention. Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni has called on public health officers to step up inspections of food vendors, kiosks, and other public premises, urging them to ensure proper hygiene practices. She pointed out that consistent hand hygiene — especially using soap and running water — is vital in reducing transmission of diseases like cholera.
During a Global Handwashing Day event, health officials reminded the public that up to 85% of infectious diseases can be prevented through proper hand hygiene. The Association of Public Health Officers of Kenya (APHOK) also weighed in, explaining that washing hands before eating, after using the toilet, and at other key times can dramatically reduce infections.
The Ministry of Health has launched a hygiene initiative, dubbed Epuka Uchafu, Afya Nyumbani ( Avoid Dirt, Health at Home ), to drive handwashing culture at the grassroots level. Through this campaign, communities, schools, and healthcare workers are being urged to prioritize simple but effective hand hygiene as a first line of defense against disease.
Experts are also urging that handwashing facilities be made more accessible in schools and public places. A recent call was made for all learning institutions to establish and maintain handwashing stations with soap — particularly to protect children from diarrheal and respiratory illnesses.