Temasek Holdings CEO Ho Ching took to Facebook last Friday (20 March) to remind the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, to turn off the tap and not waste water during the #SafeHands Challenge.
On 13 March, the WHO alongside its Director-General, Dr Ghebreyesus, introduced the #SafeHands challenge, a virtual public health-focused initiative that is meant to educate members of the public on the best practices of hand-washing.
Dr Ghebreyesus himself was featured in a video released by the WHO, as he exhibit a step-by-step guide on how to properly wash and sanitise your hands.
“There are several practical measures you can take to protect yourself from the new coronavirus,” said Dr Ghebreyesus in the video. “One of the most important is regular, safe and effective hand hygiene using soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub.”
While practising good hand hygiene is one of the paramount practical measures to curb the spread of the virus, online users were quick to spot what was amiss in the video.
Apparently, Dr Ghebreyesus had failed to turn off the tap while showcasing the #SafeHands challenge.
Mdm Ho, a powerhouse Facebook user, shared the video on her Facebook with a gentle reminder to Dr Ghebreyesus to turn off the tap.
“Hello, Tedros. How about turning off the tap when you lather your hands pls? Water is precious and should not be wasted,” she wrote.
Netizens around the globe also shared similar sentiments with Mdm Ho as the video drew a slew of criticism on the amount of water squandered – though some in an innocuous manner. Nonetheless, most of them expressed their gratitude to the WHO for sharing the information.
A few pointed out that they were distracted by the continuous flow of water, so much so that they missed out on the intended message.
Online user Osama Waheed applauded the WHO for the effort, but remarked that “water isn’t free”, adding that it would be wasteful if it keeps running when not in use.
