by Joseph Masha

Nearly 30,000 Kenyans, mainly children below five years, die annually due to diarrhoea related diseases.

Public Health and Sanitation Minister Beth Mugo said the victims contract the diseases due to poor hygiene.

The minister, however, said the death rate could be controlled by 50 per cent if people adopt the culture of washing hands with soap soon after coming from toilets and before handling food.

Edwin Nyutu a pupilof Harambee Khalsa Primary School,Nakuru on Thursday during celebrations to mark Global Hand Washing Day.Photo:Boniface Thuku/Standard

She made the remarks yesterday in a speech read on her behalf by the Deputy Secretary in the ministry, Nimrod Waweru, at Mnarani Primary School in Kilifi District during the Global Hand Washing Day celebrations.

The minister classified diarrhoea as the leading disease in claiming children’s lives followed by pneumonia.

"Paediatric death toll due to diarrhoea exceeds that of HIV and Aids, tuberculosis and malaria, yet it’s preventable through observation of simple hygiene practices," said Mugo.

hygiene

She urged teachers to educate pupils on the importance of observing high standards of hygiene to protect themselves from contracting avoidable diseases.

She said the Government had put down a number of interventions to address cases of diarrhoea-related diseases, which included the developmental of the disease control strategies.

Mugo said the ministry had developed a National Environmental Sanitation and Hygiene policy.

She also cited the development of the school heath policy launched two months ago.