Education series: Follow these principles and stay healthy

By Igboamalu Chimezie Nelson

In our world today, many people struggle to keep clean, especially in lands where safe water and adequate sanitation are scarce. Yet keeping clean is worth the while. It is estimate d that more than half of all illness and deaths are caused by germs that enter their mouths through dirty hands or contaminated food or water. Many illness especially diarrhea, can be prevented by applying simple suggestions that are set out by in various health agencies, books, publications or those set out by the USAID or UN. Also suggestion found in the facts of life, a publication from the United Nations Children's Fund can also help.
Let's discuss some of the in detail.

1. Safely dispose of excrement

Many germs are found in excrement. when disease causing germs get into water and food or onto our hands, utensils, or surfaces used for preparing or serving food, they may be passed into the mouth and swallowed, resulting in illness. The best way to get read of germs is to do away with excrement totally. Human excrement should go into a toilet or latrine, also make sure that there is no animal excrement near the home, pathways or where children can play.
Where toilets or latrine are not available, bury excrement carries germs that can cause disease, even the excrement of infants. Children's excrement also be put down a latrine or buried.
Clean latrine and toilets frequently. Keep latrines covered and toilets flushed.

2.Wash your hands

You should was your hands regularly. Washing them with soap and water removes germs. Rinsing the hands with water is not enough_both hands need to be rubbed with soap or ash.

It is essential to wash your hands after  deficating and after cleaning the bottom of a baby or a child who has just defecated. Also, wash your hands after handling animals, before handling food, and before feeding children.

Hand washing helps prevent people from germs causing illness. These worms are too tiny to see without a microscope. They live in excrement and urine, in surface water and soil,and in poorly cooked meat. A primary way to prevent worms for on getting into the body is to wash your hands. Further you can also wear shoes wear you are close to latrines, you can prevent worms that are there from entering your body through the skin of the feet.

Children often put their hands into their mouth, so wash their hands often, especially after they have defecated and before they eat. Teach them to wash their own hands and not to play near the latrine, toilet, or defecation areas.

Wash your face everyday
To help prevent eye infections, wash your face with soap and water everyday. Children's faces should also be washed. A dirty face attracts flies, which carry germs. These germs can cause eye infections and even blindness.

Check your children's eyes regularly. Healthy eyes are moist and shiny. If the eyes are dry, red, or sore or if they have a discharge, the child should be examined by a health care worker or a doctor.

4. Use only clean water
Families have fewer illness when they use clean water and keep it free of germs. Your water is probably clean if it comes from a proper constructed and maintained pipe system or from unpolluted wells and springs. Water from ponds, rivers and open tanks or wells is far less likely to be clean, but it can be made safer by boiling.
Wells should be covered, Buckets, ropes and jars are used to collect and store water should be washed regularly and stored in a clean place, not on the ground. Animals should be kept away from drinking water sources and from family living areas. Do not use pesticides or chemicals near a water source.

In the home, water should be kept in a clean covered  container. It is best to have a water container with a tap. If there is no tap, water should be taken out of the container with a clean ladle or cup. Drinking water should never be touched with unclean hands.

5. Protect foods from germs

By thoroughly cooking food, you can kill germs. Food especially meat and poultry, should be properly cooked. Germs multiply quickly in warm food. Therefore food should be eaten as soon as possible after it is cooked. If you need to keep food for longer than two hours, make sure it is kept in a place that is either cool or hot. Also if you need to save cooked food for another meal, cover it. This protects it from flues and insects. Before the food is eaten please reheat it.

Breast milk is the best and safest milk for infants and young children. Animal milk that is freshly boiled or pasteurized is safer than unboiled milk. Avoid the use of feeding bottles unless you clean them with boiling water before each use. Feeding bottles often carry germs cause diarrhea. It is better to breast feed children or feed them from a clean open cup.

Wash fruits and vegetables with clean water. This is particularly important if they if they are given raw to babies and young children.

Dispose of all household refuse
Flies, cockroaches, rats, and mice all carry germs. These creatures thrive on garbage. If there is no garbage collection where you live, put your household refuse in a garbage pit where it can be buried or burned each day. Keep your home clean and free of garbage and wastewater.

If you regularly apply these suggestions, you will soon find that they are part of your daily routine. They are difficult and do not require much money to implement, but they will safeguard the health of you and your family.

We hope you apply these simple few very important principles to your life to keep safe.