ISLAMABAD, Oct 15: More than 60,000 schoolchildren in 900 schools supported by the Poverty Alleviation Fund or run by the government observed the first-ever Global Handwashing Day on Wednesday to reinforce the United Nations’ call for improved hygienic practices.

As a part of the national campaign, ceremonies were held at various schools in the districts of Rahim Yar Khan, Khairpur, Shahdadpur, Kasur, Narowal, Bannu, Mansehra, Bhakkar and Mianwali.

The objective of the day is to: (i) promote handwashing among children and involve them as active participants with real project responsibilities rather than as passive targets of health messages and (ii) inculcate the idea of handwashing and its health benefits. The day heralds a week of activities aimed at mobilising millions of people in more than 20 countries across the five continents to wash their hands with soap.

Hands are the principal carriers of disease-causing germs, and handwashing with soap could avert one million of those deaths.