Global Handwashing Day is an annual global advocacy day dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding about the importance of handwashing with soap as an easy, effective, and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives.

Celebrated annually on October 15, Global Handwashing Day is designed to replicate creative ways to encouraging people to wash their hands with soap at critical times.

The Day is designed to:

- Foster and support a local culture of hand washing with soap

- Shine a spotlight on the state of handwashing around the world

- Raise awareness about the benefits of hand washing with soap

NP Gandour, manufacturers of Pharmadem soaps and sanitizers, teamed up with Tell It Moms, an NGO, to observe the Global Hand Washing Day Awareness day in Ghana at the Airport Police Basic Primary School and the maternity ward of the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital.

The day was used to encourage the school children and mothers to make handwashing with soaps and sanitizers a habit. 

School children were taken through basic hand washing exercises and poem recital. They were each given a package containing Pharmadem soaps, hand sanitizers, and towels to encourage them in the habits of washing their hands clean.

Mrs. Shaida Buari–Nubi, CEO of Tell It Moms said, children play around a lot and often times grab things either to play with or eat, so educating them on the importance of making hand washing a habit, can dramatically reduce the incidence of diarrheal diseases and pneumonia, which together account for the majority of the death of children around the world. 

"A simple act of  handwashing attitude in every kid will save many lives," said, explaining that is the reason NP Gandour teamed up with Tell It Moms in creating activities aimed at mobilizing millions of people in the country, especially school children to encourage them to wash their hands.

The theme for the 2016 Global Handwashing Day is “Make Hand washing a Habit!”.

For hand washing to be effective it must be practiced consistently at key times, such as after using the toilet or before contact with food.

While habits must be developed over time, the theme emphasizes the importance of hand washing as a ritual behavior for long-term sustainability. 

Mr. Oduro Christopher, Deputy Marketing Manager for NP Gandour said, "the power to save the lives of millions is in your hands and theirs. The simple act of washing one’s hands – with soap – can go a long way to reduce the incidence most diseases, which together accounts for major of deaths of children around the world. 

“We shall continue as part of our Corporate Social Responsibilities, make people aware; that such preventions can be so simple and inexpensive, and yet so effective” Mr. Oduro intimated.

The first Global Handwashing Day was held in 2008 when over 120 million children around the world washed their hands with soap in more than 70 countries. 

Since 2008, communities and national leaders have used Global Handwashing Day to spread the word about hand washing, and demonstrate the simplicity and value of clean hands.  

Each year, over 200 million people are involved in celebrations in over 100 countries around the world. Global Handwashing Day is endorsed by many governments, international institutions, civil society organizations, NGOs, private companies, and individuals.

The Global Hand Washing Awareness Day in Ghana was climaxed with a donation of Pharmadem Hand Sanitizers and Doctor’s overcoats valued at GHC 7,000.00 to the maternity ward of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital by NP Gandour, as part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibilities.

The donation was received by the administrator of the Maternity Ward, Rev. Sister Michelle Amuzu, who praised the company for the foresight in adopting the ward for the donation.

She pledged that the items donated will be used strictly for the intended purposes.