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'Clean Hands, Zero Bird Flu' Program Launched in Thailand's SchoolsTuesday, May 01, 2007 Colgate-Palmolive (Thailand) and Thailand's ministries of public health and education have joined USAID and the Kenan Institute of Asia to launch a "Clean Hands, Zero Bird Flu" program for school children. The campaign is designed to raise awareness about the prevention of bird flu and other infectious diseases. The project includes the distribution of educational posters, stickers and VCDs to over 24,000 elementary schools throughout Thailand. The U.S. Agency for International Development and Colgate-Palmolive are funding the program. "Although avian influenza seems under control, we cannot relax," said Dr. Narongsakdi Aungkasuvapala of the Ministry of Public Health. Washing hands thoroughly is an effective preventative of avian influenza and other diseases, a practice should be developed during childhood, he said. Students can serve as a catalyst to modify behavior, noted Dr. Somkiat Chobphol of the Ministry of Education. "We have 15 million students in our schools that will become the agents for teaching good sanitary habits to their families and communities."
In addition to teaching the seven steps of effective hand washing, the program will include a "best practices" contest to further raise awareness about the prevention of avian influenza. More than 100 elementary schools have submitted proposals to win the Bt100,000 prize. Colgate-Palmolive is demonstrating its social responsibility as a corporation by launching Clean Hands, Zero Bird Flu program, said Paul Wedel, executive director of the Kenan Institute Asia. "This program will raise awareness and help prevent the spread of illnesses such as avian influenza in Thailand and throughout the entire region," Mr. Wedel said. Colgate-Palmolive’s participation is part of USAID’s Global Development Alliance (GDA) program, which engages private enterprises in sustainable-development activities on a cost-shared basis. Kenan Institute Asia is a Bangkok-based non-profit development foundation that coordinates GDA partnership programs for USAID’s Prevention and Control of Pandemic and Avian Influenza in the Greater Mekong Sub-Region program. FURTHER READING
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The "Clean Hands, Zero Bird Flu" program is an extension of the "Clean Hand, Good Health" project that Colgate-Palmolive’s Protex brand launched in 2000, said Caroline Combemale, marketing director of Colgate-Palmolive (Thailand) Ltd. 
