In a bid to inculcate right hygiene practices, KAI India, has launched a nail hygiene awareness programme for schools and healthcare workers. Under the programme, KAI India distributed more than 20,000  nail clippers in schools and health centres. With the slogan नाखून साफ़, तो स्वस्थ रहे आप (you are healthy if your nails are clean), the programme by KAI India raised awareness about the importance of nail hygiene among hospital staff, healthcare workers (HCWs) and schools, in association with a voluntary organisation Goonj. They reached out to children & families through family kits, school kits, Anganwadi kits and to a large number of disaster relief kits in more than 23 states in India and provided them packages of household essentials including the nail clippers, making them aware about nail hygiene and safety.

A similar programme was launched in Sonipat district of Haryana in collaboration with the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) with the help of local Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) where attendees were handed the nail clippers developed with Japanese technology that requires 3 times less force than any other comparable nail clipper. Also, discussed about importance of nail hygiene and use of the same. 

“In a country like India where we do a host of work with bare hands – right from working in fields to eating food – following hygienic practices for nails becomes an important part of overall health. The dirt accumulated from fields or food residue create germs that can make one sick with bacterial and viral infections. In the light of COVID-19, we talk a lot about hand hygiene. But, if our nails are not clean, it defeats the purpose of washing hands. Besides, one must never share hygiene products like a nail clipper with anyone as it can become the carrier of germs. However, once we start moving out of the city boundaries, such concepts are yet to gain ground. Not many are aware why it is important to keep nails clean and equal numbers are not aware how. In their community-oriented surrounding, sharing is common and natural and by distributing nail clippers for free, KAI India intends to empower them in an experiential manner, instead of lectures. This programme is a beginning that we will continue,” says  Mr Rajesh U. Pandya, Managing Director , KAI India.

Maintaining nail hygiene can prevent a number of infectious diseases such as ringworm or tinea.UNICEF data of 2015 shows that globally, more than 300,000 children under the age of five died from diarrhoeal infections caused by poor sanitation, among other reasons. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sharing nail clippers can cause preventable infections caused by Hepatitis C and Human Papilloma virus (HPV), in addition to many others.