Suboptimal hygiene knowledge and behaviour (hand washing, hand washing with soap and oral hygiene)
were found among African children, contributing to diarrhoeal diseases, helminth infections, dental caries,
periodontal diseases and other communicable diseases. Several promising intervention studies have been
done to increase hygiene behaviours among children and adolescents and may need to be scaled up.
Community studies found faecal contamination on hands to be common and to be associated with various
ill-health conditions. Several innovative interventions to improve hand hygiene behaviours in the community
setting show promising results. Healthcare-associated infections due to lack of hand hygiene are common
in Africa and interventions need to be developed and implemented.