Choose handwashing, choose health!

The practice of handwashing with soap tops the international hygiene agenda on October 15, with the celebration of Global Handwashing Day (GHWD). Since its inception in 2008 – which was designated as the International Year of Sanitation by the UN General Assembly – Global Handwashing Day has been echoing and reinforcing the call for improved hygiene practices worldwide.

Good hygiene practices must become a habit, which requires choosing to perform them on a regular basis. People should choose handwashing not only on Global Handwashing Day, but every day. Photo: UNICEF Viet Nam\2014\Truong Viet Hung

UNICEF joint mission reaches out to Dien Bien’s ethnic minority children

Dien Bien is the second poorest province in the country with child poverty rates at 64 percent, twice as high as the national average. Since 2012, UNICEF has focused its activities in Dien Bien to address high rates of maternal and infant mortality, malnutrition and stunting and poor access to education, water and sanitation. With support from the Embassy of Luxembourg for 2012-2016, UNICEF is implementing core health, education, sanitation and protection services that reach out to vulnerable ethnic minority children to improve their overall welfare. This week, UNICEF Representative Mr Youssouf Abdel Jelil, Vice Minister of Health Dr Nguyen Viet Tien and Ms Aurelie Klein from the Luxembourg Embassy in Viet Nam visited remote communes in Dien Bien province to monitor progress of UNICEF-led activities.