Accra Ghana, October 22, 2026: Eco Impact Network, a non-profit organisation, has called on Ghanaians to make regular handwashing with soap a daily habit to help prevent infectious diseases and improve public health.

Gifty Ofori Yeboah, Chief Executive Officer of the Network, said proper handwashing was among the most effective and affordable ways to reduce the spread of diseases, including cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery and diarrhoeal infections.

She made the call during a handwashing education programme held at the SDA School in Nungua Buade to mark Global Handwashing Day.

The programme aimed to educate pupils on the importance of hand hygiene and encourage them to practise regular handwashing at home, in school and in their communities.

School receives GH¢4,915 worth of hygiene supplies

As part of the programme, Eco Impact Network donated liquid soap, tissue towels and other hygiene materials valued at GH¢4,915 to the school.

The donation was made under the organisation's “Support One Child at a Time” initiative to support handwashing education and help pupils maintain proper hygiene.

Ofori Yeboah said washing hands with soap at critical times, particularly after using the toilet and before preparing or eating food, could significantly reduce the spread of germs responsible for preventable illnesses.

She noted that children frequently came into contact with potentially contaminated surfaces and could transfer germs to their mouths while eating, making regular handwashing especially important.

Parents and schools urged to provide soap and clean water

The chief executive called on parents, teachers and community leaders to support hygiene education and ensure children had access to soap and clean water.

She said public education campaigns alone were not enough to establish lasting hygiene habits. Handwashing needed to become part of everyday routines at home, in schools and across communities.

Ofori Yeboah urged stakeholders to treat hand hygiene as a continuous public health responsibility rather than an activity undertaken only during disease outbreaks.

She said consistent handwashing could help protect individuals, families and communities from preventable infections.

Organisation seeks support for underserved communities

The Network also appealed to individuals, organisations and other stakeholders to support efforts to extend handwashing education to underserved communities, particularly areas where access to hygiene information and essential supplies remained limited.

Ofori Yeboah said sustained support would allow more children and communities to benefit from hygiene education and develop habits that protect their wellbeing.

She called for coordinated efforts among schools, families, communities and development partners to promote hand hygiene and reduce the burden of preventable infectious diseases.

The initiative combines public education with the provision of basic hygiene materials, highlighting the importance of ensuring that children have both the knowledge and the resources needed to practise proper handwashing.