This is the Health Awareness Week at UCU, organized by the Health and Safety Committee under Chairmanship (she prefers the word Chairman to Chair) of the DVC F&A.

The theme for this week is “Better Hygiene and Sanitation for you”.
I prefer that we convert it into “Better hygiene for me, Better sanitation for me”. Within the confines of space available , I can only get away with listing a few tips in hygiene and in sanitation.
In early schooldays (at least in my days) pupils always held a health parade once in a day and also during Health Training class periods or sometimes Sports sessions. Commonly checked were:  uncombed hair,  dirty teeth (there were no tooth brushes those days ) and presence of absence of jiggers.  If you had a jigger you were given two strokes of the cane. What I usually did,  was to pair with a friend and would each  declare two out of a possible five jiggers  which meant we each got  only 4 canes. If you declared only one or no jiggers the teacher (or prefect) was suspicious and would check again and they discover that you have, you end up getting 10 strokes.
This parade was an attempt to enforce personal hygiene. This enforcement by coercion which became outdated did not only see the scrapping of health parades but the health training subject as a whole. This subject gave way to Health science which was optional, stressed knowledge rather than practice and was non examinable. Thus our youth grew up in a hygienic vacuum.
The youth are now dependant on the counsel of their parents (if enlightened), their senior peers or were left to chance.
Youth can get away with a bit or carelessness in body care but not adults. The adult sweats and emits more metabolic end products (organic chemicals) and will therefore suffer abnormal odours which though often undetected by self area easily smelt by the neighbor thus becoming a  public nuisance.  Do not become an obstacle to your neighbor’s enjoyment of a function.
The following tips are vital for observance of proper personal body hygiene:
a. Prevent foul body odour: Wash properly and use deodorants. Roll-ons are more handy than sprays or perfumes. Keep armpits and groin hair shaved.
2. Prevent foul breath and keep good oral hygiene: Brush your teeth every morning and after every meal. Brush teeth (one by one), clean tongue, and remove all food debris from the gum surface and in the recesses of the mouth. Reduce refined diet and if you eat garlic or onions ensure you brush thoroughly.
3. Feet(socks): Wear each pair of socks once and take it for washing. Clean you feet and keep them dry. Treat all fungal infection in between toes. Use powder. Keep your finger and toe nails trimmed.
4. Toilet ablution : After visiting the toilets: Cleanse yourself very well and if possible wash with water and soap.
5. Genital hygiene: Clean your genitals very well during bathing and after voiding. Keep them dry.
6. Wash hands: Wash your hands thoroughly with soap. Do this before meals, after meals, after visiting the toilets and after contact with any surfaces. Every time you have been shaking hands with other people go and wash and dry them with a swab or dry heat. Avoid a communal towel as it will transmit germs from one person to another.
7. Food Hygiene: Avoid cold foods/leftovers, juices, salads and road side foods.
8. Remember hygiene is not just a health issue. It is a behavioural issue. People must be made to adopt behavior that is conducive to proper hygiene practice for remember: “Cleanliness is next to Godliness”.

Dr. Kanyesigye is the Head of Health Sciences Department and Vice Chair, UCU Health and Safety Committee.