A simple act that saves lives

The World Health Organisation reports more than three million episodes of diarrhoea a year and estimates that over 2.2 million die as a result, mostly children.

According to a recent study, published in the Cochrane Database Systematic Review, hand washing reduces episodes of diarrhoea by 30 per cent. But although it may be a simple habit, it is not practised often enough, Pink magazine finds in its April issue.

Diarrhoea is a common cause of morbidity and a leading cause of death among children aged less than five, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, the feature highlights.

According to Michael Borg, who heads the Infection Control Unit at Mater Dei Hospital, hand washing is not ingrained enough in Malta's culture, and basic hand hygiene, such as washing hands after using the bathroom, is something many have forgotten.

"We need to ingrain this habit further. Washing your hands regularly can substantially cut down on the spread of germs, colds and infections," he says in a health feature in Pink, which will be distributed with The Times tomorrow.

But Pink does not only focus on the importance of the simple gesture of washing hands... It also delves, for example, into the issue of female representation in Parliament.

The United Nations recommends that for women to really have a voice in the House of Representatives, a female presence of at least 35 per cent is necessary. In Malta, this figure stands at a measly 8.7 per cent, so Pink catches up with the freshly elected women MPs and also asks the public what they think of establishing a quota to have more women.

With the change of seasons, fashion also takes centrestage in Pink, with its TrendSetter, AccessoryStory and ShowStopper pages of colourful images and an exclusive encounter with designer Tommy Hilfiger in its FashionStory section.

While promoting fashion and showing off pretty girls, Pink sets the balance with its contribution on the 20th anniversary of the Apostolic Letter, Mulieris Dignitatem, written by Pope John Paul II on the dignity and vocation of women, which aims to turn the concept of beauty inside out.

Pink is a monthly magazine, whose executive editors are The Times journalists Fiona Galea Debono and Ariadne Massa. It is published by Allied Newspapers Ltd, printed by Progress Press Ltd, produced by MediaMaker and designed by Helen Cassar Torreggiani and J. Schembri.