Dettol Hygieia: Engaging Mobile Game Educates Indian Youth About Hygiene
New Delhi: The Banega Swasth India campaign has introduced a unique mobile game called Dettol Hygieia in an effort to educate Indian youngsters about hygiene. Launched during the tenth season celebrations of the Banega Swasth India campaign, the game aims to transform the way children learn about handwashing and cleanliness by incorporating it into a fun and interactive gaming experience.
The game, named after the Greek goddess of healing, Hygieia, aligns with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It focuses on two Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages under SDG 3, and ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all under SDG 4.
The Director of External Affairs and Partnerships, SOA, Reckitt, Ravi Bhatnagar, emphasized the need for a game that can effectively educate young minds about hygiene. He stated that games have the ability to capture children’s attention and develop critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
The Dettol Hygieia app is an innovative and engaging way to raise awareness about hygiene and health among children. Currently available in Hindi and English for Android users, the game is designed to make learning about hygiene enjoyable. The app will be expanded to include several regional languages of India to reach a wider audience of children.
The game revolves around five pillars of Dettol’s Hygiene practices: personal hygiene, hygiene at home, school, neighborhood, and hygiene during illness. Each level of the game challenges players to overcome different types of germs using Dettol hand wash. It not only entertains but also educates players about the importance of hygiene and personal health.
The game features five avatars and levels, and it is initially being implemented among two lakh students as a pilot project. The interactive gaming experience motivates players to maintain personal hygiene, fight germs in various settings such as houses, schools, neighborhoods, and communities.
Dettol’s Hygieia app represents a significant step towards creating a healthier and more informed society. By leveraging the popularity of gaming platforms, it effectively spreads the message of hygiene to both children and adults.
The Banega Swasth India campaign, in association with Dettol, has been working towards achieving a clean and healthy India since 2014. The initiative not only emphasizes the importance of human and environmental interdependence but also highlights the health needs of vulnerable communities such as the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, and geographically remote populations.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the campaign recognizes the critical role of WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) practices in preventing the spread of diseases. Along with promoting handwashing, the campaign raises awareness about nutrition, healthcare for women and children, fight against malnutrition, mental wellbeing, self-care, science and health, adolescent health, gender awareness, air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging, sanitation workers, menstrual hygiene, and other pressing health and environmental issues.
The introduction of the Dettol Hygieia app demonstrates the campaign’s commitment to creating a healthier India by educating and empowering the youth. Through the power of gaming, children can develop good hygiene habits and contribute to a cleaner and healthier future for all.
