聯合國兒童基金會：洗手是對抗伊波拉病毒的重要方法 | 最新消息 | 訊息中心 | 聯合國兒童基金香港委員會 UNICEF Hong Kong

聯合國兒童基金會：洗手是對抗伊波拉病毒的重要方法

2014-10-15

全球洗手日提醒我們，簡單易行的方法便可拯救生命

紐約／香港，2014年10月15日－在全世界慶祝第7個全球洗手日之際，聯合國兒童基金會指，在抗擊伊波拉疫情的行動中，更突顯洗手的防病作用。

聯合國兒童基金會（UNICEF）全球食水、環境及個人衞生項目負責人桑傑‧韋傑塞克若（Sanjay Wijesekera）說：「用肥皂洗手是預防常見傷風、流行性感冒以至其他傳染病最便宜及最有效的『疫苗』。在塞拉利昂、利比里亞和幾內亞前綫救援的工作人員，強調洗手對阻止伊波拉疫情蔓延是十分重要。洗手不是靈丹妙藥，但是既廉價又易行的額外防護措施。」

Hans Hasan, a participant of the SWASH club; poses for a photograph while washing her hands at Kingugi School in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Wednesday, April 2, 2014. The WASH club teaches childrenthe importance of hand washing before eating and after visiting the toilet and encourages children to educate their families and peers of the imporance of having clean hands.

UNICEF在伊波拉疫情肆虐的國家，致力加深民眾對伊波拉病毒的認識，消除誤解，以免更多人受病毒威脅。同時，UNICEF派發防護袍、手套和漂白劑等用品──單在塞拉利昂就提供了150萬塊肥皂，又向利比里亞和幾內亞發放數百萬塊肥皂。

韋傑塞克若說：「沒有簡單的方法可阻止疫情擴散，這需要國際社會大規模的合作。但在疫情嚴重的地區，即使有源源不斷的國際援助，宣傳預防措施最為重要，而洗手就是其中一環。」

On 3 Feuary, (foreground) Grade 2 student Venus Mueva, 8, washes her hands with soap and water at a new hand-washing facility after using the latrine, at Santo Niño Elementary School in the town of Tanauan one of the areas hardest hit by Super Typhoon Haiyan in Leyte Province, Eastern Visayas Region. Her school, which reopened on 8 January, was badly damaged by the storm. Classes are now being held in tents and makeshift or repaired classrooms. UNICEF has provided tents, educational supplies, latrines and hand-washing facilities at the school and is also supporting teacher training. Many of the students lost family members and other relatives during the disaster, and most have lost their homes and belongings. Venuss 4-year-old sister, Viana, was swept away during the storm. Her home was also destroyed. She and her parents now live in a temporary shelter located just a few metres from the school. In early Feuary 2014 in the Philippines, Government-led relief operations continue following the destruction caused by Typhoon Haiyan, which hit the country on 8 November. The typhoon, known locally as Yolanda, was one of the strongest to ever to make landfall. More than 6,200 people have been killed in the disaster and 1,785 are missing. The storm also destroyed homes, schools, hospitals, roads, communications and other basic infrastructure, and damaged power and water supply systems. An estimated 14.1 million people, including more than 5.9 million children, have been affected; and, three months after the massive storm, 4.1 million people, including over 1.7 million children, remain displaced. Many of the displaced are still living in damaged or makeshift dwellings, temporary tents and evacuation centres. In response to the emergency, UNICEF has delivered 100 tons of relief supplies for typhoon-affected communities, including emergency health kits (each containing medicine, medical supplies and basic medical equipment to meet the needs of 10,000 displace

除伊波拉之外，UNICEF和世界衞生組織最近發布的資料顯示，2013年超過34萬名5歲以下兒童，即每日近1,000名兒童死於缺乏安全用水、良好環境及個人衞生而引發的腹瀉。伊波拉疫情肆虐，各國疫區的衞生保健服務都忙於應對伊波拉病毒，而養成正確的洗手習慣，更應成為各國預防常見疾病的重要措施。

一年一度的全球洗手日，強調用肥皂洗手作為預防腹瀉等常見又可致命的疾病。許多國家都在這天舉辦活動，宣傳正確的洗手習慣。

在斯里蘭卡，來自96所學校的3.84萬名學生與政府官員和公務員將一起參加一系列與洗手相關的宣傳活動。在黎巴嫩，成千上萬名的手機用戶將收到「你洗手，你健康」的短訊。馬里亦將舉辦洗手宣傳活動，並在數十所學校派發肥皂。岡比亞、尼日利亞和柬埔寨等多國也計劃舉行大規模的宣傳慶祝活動。

### 關於全球洗手日： 10月15日是全球洗手日，由促進用肥皂洗手公私伙伴組織（PPPHW）在2008年發起，並獲得世界各國政府、國際機構、民間社會組織，非政府組織、私營企業及個人支持。詳情請瀏覽www.globalhandwashingday.org