Kohima: Nagaland today joined the rest of the world to observe the Global Hand Washing Day, being promoted to check gastro-enteric diseases.
The main function was organized by the Water & Sanitation Support Organisation (WSSO), a cell under the state`s Public Health Engineering department here.
Nagaland Parliamentary Secretary for Information & Public Relations and Printing & Stationery, Kropol Vitsu said it was a campaign to motivate people across the globe to become health conscious by washing hands with soap and water.
The WHO is campaign this as human feces are the source of shigellosis, typhoid, cholera, all other common endemic gastro-enteric infections and some respiratory infections such as influenza and pneumonia. A single gram of human feces can contain 10 million viruses and one million bacteria.
Vitsu quoted World Health Organisation (WHO) figures to say that 1500 persons die every day in India and over 5000 across the world due to water borne diseases and unhygienic health related diseases.
He encouraged the gathering to make a habit of washing hand regularly with water and soap to keep away the diseases.
Director WSSO PHED, K G Sumi, also spoke on the occasion.
A Power-point presentation on proper hygiene and toilets was also presented by the department.
