For fear of catching germs from unwashed hands, President Museveni says he dreads offering his right hand in greetings.
Speaking at the launch of a hand washing campaign in Kamuli, Busoga sub-region, Mr Museveni said he prefers reserving his busy right hand to himself (his own affairs) and rather stretch out the left one to all and sundry.
“My right hand is mine and the left one is for Ugandans. I am a fighter and I want healthy people,” Mr Museveni said.
The president said the habit of washing hands should be a basic practice in every home, considering its ability to reduce germs that spread diseases. Mr Museveni asked health workers to spread this message, saying that is part of their job description.
If done well (washing hands with soap), he said the spread of disease could be cut down significantly.
And if [hand washing with soap] is not made a habit just as the theme of the event suggests, the President believes shaking of hands will be a health hazard.
“You need to wash your hands thoroughly before getting in contact with others. And with such practices you will reduce disease burden by 47 per cent,” Mr Museveni said.
The president warned against dangers of aflatoxins produced by certain moulds found in food, and can cause liver damage and cancer.
To control aflatoxins, Mr Museveni recommended proper food management, storage and handling.
Earlier, Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga also advocated hand washing and sanitation campaign, saying if they are ignored, there would be dreadful consequences.
The SNV Project Officer, Ms Sarah Rubereti Omondi, said there is need to have reputable people champion hand washing campaign. She said creative ways should be used to pass the communication to the masses.
She called for revival of health parades in schools, saying it helps promote good hygiene and sanitation, which would reduce most of the preventable and water-borne diseases.
Source: Ismail Musa Ladu and Sam Caleb Opio/Daily Monitor
