Minister Declares Sanitation, Hygiene As Panacea To Disease Control

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja 

           Ikeazor

As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to commemorate the 2021 Global Handwashing Day today, the Minister of State Environment, Chief Sharon Ikeazor has stated that access to sanitation and hygiene remain the solution to preventing and controlling diseases as well as a fundamental human right that safeguards public health and human dignity.

The global handwashing day, which is celebrated on the 15th of October annually was designed for increased awareness on the importance of handwashing with soap as an effective and affordable way to prevent diseases, save lives and help nations in attaining Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3 and 6.

According to her, "Addressing sanitation and hygiene challenges in the country is a necessary and worthwhile investment for government at all levels. Therefore, I want to use this opportunity to call on Nigerians especially those in authority (public or private) to ensure adequate provision of sanitation, hygiene and handwashing facilities.”

The minister said the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic and its devastating global effect is a reminder that hand hygiene is a fundamental component of health and safety.

 She enjoined countries to plan for the future while strengthening COVID-19 response and recovery plans, a move that will reduce vulnerability to new outbreak and help countries to control diarrheal and respiratory diseases.

Hand washing is a simple, cost-effective and yet very impactful intervention to significantly improve the health, education, social and economic status of Nigeria. 

To this end, the ministry in collaboration with stakeholders had taken steps to deliver adequate sanitation and hygiene services to Nigerians in the areas of capacity building, provision of handwashing facilities to schools, sensitisation, environmental health surveillance of public places, development of policies, regulatory and legislative frameworks, implementation of relevant programmes and projects as well as the establishment of regulatory and enforcement agencies.     

Activities uneviled to commemorate the global event in the Federal Capital Territory ( FFT) includes: training workshop on hand hygiene and sanitation for students and teachers in the six Unity schools, quiz competition on sanitation and hygiene practices for selected primary schools, community sensitisation and hygiene practices for selected primary schools, community sensitisation and awareness on handwashing, global handwashing day celebration at Federal Government Boys College, Apo and presentation of handwashing materials and equipments to schools.