Antabax, an antibacterial personal care range, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education, is embarking on an interactive educational drive to raise awareness and encourage better general hygiene practices among children through the Antabax National Hygiene Campaign.
The campaign will directly benefit students from more than 30 primary schools across Malaysia and is aimed at reducing the spread of communicable diseases among students. It will run nationwide throughout the month of May, June and July 2015.
The National Hygiene Campaign features the first National CLAP competition.
CLAP is an acronym for Clean Your Hands, Learn Correct Hand Hygiene, Apply Correct Hand Washing Steps and Practice Makes Perfect. The competition focuses on hand rhythms, and a capella singing to reinforce good hygiene habits, and highlights the importance of hands in our daily lives including as musical instruments.
The competition offers total cash prizes of RM32,000 across four categories of primary, secondary, tertiary, and an open category for those who are not students or wish to join with their family or friends.
The fun-filled Selangor launch of the campaign that was held at Sekolah Kebangsaan Assunta Satu, here today, carried the important healthcare message with a specially-choreographed clapping and stomping routine set to a catchy a capella version of the Antabax Gosok-gosok melody to reinforce the hygiene habit.
A special appearance by the cuddly Antabax mascot, Germbuster, distribution of Antabax Care Kits and a mass pledge by enthusiastic students to keep clean and hygienic made for a lively event.
Students from SK Assunta Satu presented an energetic and well coordinated CLAP performance that had everyone clapping along.
The campaign is especially timely as it reinforces correct hand hygiene techniques as a precautionary measure against communicable diseases such as Hand Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD), and influenza as well as the more usual cough and cold.
Communicable diseases among humans result from the transmission of contagious agents such as bacteria and viruses, from another infected person and animal. Children are at higher risk of communicable diseases infection due to their lower immunity system.
Some simple hygiene habits – shower twice a day with soap, and washing or sanitizing hands with soap or hand sanitiser as needed, could significantly reduce the spread of communicable diseases.
Handwashing with soap and water is among the most effective and inexpensive ways to prevent diarrheal diseases and pneumonia, while better hand hygiene can reduce the incidence of hand, foot & mouth disease, influenza, cold, cough and other communicable diseases where unclean hands are the vectors to spread germs.
Proudly Malaysian Antabax promotes a healthier and more hygienic lifestyle for the whole family and is championing general hygiene for better health and a stronger nation.
“Since our first CSR initiative in 2009, Antabax has run annual public education and awareness programs on hygiene. We have reached approximately 10 million Malaysians through our education programs to-date. Our target is to reach all Malaysians through innovative, memorable programs that are relevant and educational so good health and hygiene becomes a habit across the nation,” said Group Product Manager, Household and Personal Care Marketing Division, Lam Soon Edible Oils Sdn Bhd, Ms Angeline Sim.
“The CLAP campaign uses percussive hand rhythm and voice, unaccompanied by musical instruments as a way to reinforce good hygiene practices as it employs auditory-musical, linguistic, kinesthetic and interpersonal learning styles[1]. The mass pledging at the event aims to get children to fully commit to the campaign and to change their health habits for the better,” Ms Sim explained.
The Antabax National CLAP Competition is open to all Malaysians through the primary, secondary, tertiary and open categories. Contestants are required to record a video of their creative clapping and a capella rendition of the Antabax theme song (30 seconds) and of another song of their choice for another 30 seconds.
According to Chief Assistant Director of Co-Curricular and Arts Division, Uniformed Bodies, Societies/ Club and External Unit, Ministry of Education Malaysia, En. Mahamad Amran Kamsi, schools are the source of knowledge and skills, but unfortunately they are also the place where kids can be exposed to communicable diseases. The simple act of washing hands with soap and water can reduce the spread of these communicable diseases.
“The Ministry of Education is always alert to new ways to interact positively with students, parents and educators. A good habit is formed through repetition and reinforcement through a fun learning experience. This is what we are trying to do, to form the habit of good hand hygiene through a repetition of the correct steps of hand washing in entertaining,” said En. Amran.
For primary and secondary schools, the prize money will be awarded to the schools for their use. For the tertiary and open category the prize money will be awarded to the individual or team. First prize for each category is RM5,000, second prize is RM3,000 and the third prize is RM1,000.
For more information on the Antabax National CLAP Competition, please log on to www.facebook.com/NewAntabax
[1] http://www.learning-styles-online.com/overview/index.php