The World Summit on Sustainable Development at Johannesburg on September 5 had called for global ‘Public-Private Partnerships’ between soap companies and governments in developing countries to promote handwash with soap. The partnership, it was hoped, would double the rate at which Keralites wash their hands with soap.
According to the World Bank prescription, all you need is a soap made by Hindustan Lever Limited, Procter and Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, Johnson & Johnson or Godrej to ward off diseases like diarrhoea. So, major Indian soap manufacturers were hopeful that ‘Washing Hands’ would take off and increase the sale of soaps in Kerala.
