Good hygiene practices.

Here are some guidelines to ensure you are using good practices to maintain cleanliness in our homes.

• Only drink safe and clean water sources such as boiled water or solar water disinfection known as SODIS and use a tight-fitting lid to cover your boiled drinking water containers when you are not using them.

• Thoroughly clean your cups and crockeries with water and soap, don’t just soak them in soapy water and think they are clean, after cleaning it, leave it to drip dry or use a cloth.

• Clean up the surroundings of your home regularly.

• Always wash your hand with water and soap before eating and drinking, after going to the toilet and after cleaning your house.

Here are the steps to wash your hands

1.  Wet your hands with clean water and soap them

2.   Rub back of each hand with palm of other hand with fingers interlaced

3.   Rub palm to palm with fingers interlaced

4.   Rub with back of fingers to opposing palms

5.   Rub each thumb

6.  Rub tips of fingers in opposite palm

7.  Rinse hands with clean water

8.  Dry thoroughly with air

Did you know that poor or contaminated water supply and poor hygiene causes diarrhea for babies, children and adults? Sadly, chronic diarrhea can even lead to the death of babies.

Across Kiribati, and especially in South Tarawa, many people are living with extended family in cramped households. This can increase the risk of catching diarrhea and all it could take is just one person in the household to not practice good hygiene for everybody to become unwell.

As parents and as families, we are supposed to look after for our loved ones. Using good hygiene and keeping water supplies clean is essential for our health.