14 October 2008
Luanda — At least 1.4 million to 2 million cases of diarrhoeas are reported every year in the country, one third of that number are children under five-year old, due mainly to poor hygiene, ANGOP learnt Tuesday in Luanda.
According to a press release, issued on the occasion of the "Global Hand-washing Day" (GHD), celebrated on 15 October, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) explains that 47 percent of infantile mortality is caused by the poor hygiene related to the diseases.
The province of Luanda, according to UNICEF document, will host the event, to be presided over by the Education minister, Burity da Silva, at Sambizanga district, under the motto "Washing hands with Soap, Can Save Thousands of Lives".
The Health Ministry and its partners consider the action of washing hands with water and soap as the efficient and the cheapest way of preventing the diarrhoea and pneumonia, the main causes of infantile mortality in Angola.
This is the first time Angola celebrates 15 October the "Global Hand-washing Day",
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