DHF Annual Report 2009 - NT Health Digital Library - Northern ...

Key AchievementsNo Germs on MeThe ‘No Germs on Me’ hand washing campaign is an ongoing social marketing campaignwashing with soap and water after going to the toilet, after changing babies’ nappies andbefore touching food.The campaign was developed to assist in addressing the high rates of infectious diseasesamong Aboriginal babies and children in the Northern Territory. Recent international researchhas demonstrated that routine hand washing with soap and water can reduce the incidenceof diarrhoeal and respiratory disease among children by as much as 50%.In conjunction with Outback Stores and the Arnhem Land Progress Association (ALPA),point of sale materials to encourage the purchasing of soap will be displayed in Aboriginalcommunity stores for six months. Research conducted as part of the original pilot projectindicated that while many people said that they washed their hands using soap, soap wasinfrequently found in homes.Television commercials promoting hand washing will also be aired during 2010-11 as wellas the use of point of sale materials being displayed in community stores.Outback Stores and ALPA will provide pre and post sales data to the Environmental Healthprogram for evaluation purposes.being utilised by a number of interested agencies within the Northern Territory as well asbeing increasingly used both interstate and internationally as highlighted by its adapted usein Papua New Guinea.Food SafetyThe Environmental Health Program monitors the food supply in the Northern Territory forcompliance with the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, which is adopted by theNorthern Territory Food Act.The Food Standards Code requires that food handlers have ‘skills and knowledgecommensurate with their work activities’.The Department’s Environmental Health Program regularly run free food safety sessions forfood handlers. Sessions are provided Territory-wide and these aim to provide food handlerswith important food safety information that will decrease the likelihood of consumersproducts. 263 food handlers have attended this training since 1 July 2009. handling practices are detected during surveillance at food businesses.150Department Health and Families