Indonesian Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin attends the World Handwashing Day (HCTPS) in Jakarta, Monday (17/10). Minister of Health Budi said washing hands with soap can prevent infection transmission and reduce child mortality.

"Washing hands with soap and community-based total sanitation is important for us to implement because it can prevent infection and it will reduce child mortality," said Minister of Health Budi after the opening of HCTPS.

The habit of washing hands with soap is in line with the transformation of health, focusing on the first pillar, namely the transformation of primary health services. This primary health service prioritizes preventive promotion.

The activity of washing hands with soap, according to him, is considered more effective in preventing infection transmission from entering the mouth through hands.

“Various types of infections that are transmitted through the mouth will not occur if we make it a habit to wash our hands with soap. This can also reduce and prevent diarrhea in children," said the Minister of Health.

Minister of Health Budi asked all Indonesians to improve the cleanliness of the environment in which they live, starting from the smallest environment in the family and then also to the community where we are.

"By ensuring that our environment is clean, we can ensure that our children live healthier and better lives than us," said Minister of Health Budi.

According to the Minister of Health, it is the duty of all levels of society to make the health program a joint movement, because health problems can only be overcome by moving together. The Minister of Health hopes that through the involvement of various community organizations, women's organizations will emerge a movement to nourish the nation starting from the family.

Director General of Disease Prevention and Control of the Ministry of Health, dr. Maxi Rein Rondonuwu said hand washing with soap is currently one of the main focuses of the national community-based total sanitation program organized by the Indonesian government.

“Handwashing with soap is also widely recognized as an important basic technique to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. The success rate is 85% to prevent disease and 15% to prevent the disease from becoming severe," said the Director General of Maxi.

Hand washing day with soap is an important momentum in carrying out campaigns and advocating the importance of achieving the 100% CTPS target nationally, and becoming a habit to change people's behavior.

"This year we are doing it again to know together the importance of the role of a mother in contributing fully to health education for a better and healthier environment," said Director General Maxi.

Head of Health Quality Improvement and Solidarity Action Organizations for the Advanced Indonesia Cabinet Era (OASE-KIM) Kartika Nurani Basuki said that CTPS was an important effort in preventing the transmission of infectious diseases such as COVID-19. Indirectly, CTPS can control community activities in economic and social life in 2030.

"Indonesia together with countries in the world are committed to achieving sustainable development targets, namely the availability of access to clean water and clean sanitation," said Kartika.

This year's World Handwashing Day with Soap (HCTPS) takes the theme 'Unite for Universal Hand Hygiene'. Meanwhile, the national theme is 'United for Healthy Clean Hands' and the sub-theme is 'The Role of Women in Reducing Stunting through Stopping Open Defecation (SBS) and CTPS'. HCTPS is commemorated every year on October 15 in all countries in the world, and is an important moment in preventing disease transmission.