By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
WaterAid Nigeria has stressed that it will continue join forces with all relevant stakeholders, especially Government at all levels in the country to strengthen systems and build the necessary partnerships to bring good hygiene within the reach of everyone, everywhere.
This was contained in a statement issued by the WaterAid Nigeria, Country Director, Evelyn Mere and read by the WaterAid Bauchi State State Team Lead, Mashat Mallo on the commemoration of the 2024 Global Hand Washing Day with theme: “Why are Clean Hands still Important” held in Bauchi.
She observed that the wide disparity between knowledge and practice of hand-washing is a challenge that stakeholders in the country must work on, in order to ensure that everyone can practice hand-washing as frequently as possible.
According to the WaterAid Nigeria Country Director, Nigeria has made some progress in promoting hand-washing among citizens since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Evenly Mere however stressed that, the WASH NORMS 2021 stated that while 99 percent of heads of households have knowledge of at least 2 critical times for hand-washing, only 8 percent could demonstrate proper hand-washing
According to her, “This wide disparity between knowledge and practice is the challenge we must work together to address. Recent outbreaks of Cholera in several locations in the country continue to remind us of the importance of hand washing with soap and water, making the theme for this year’s GHWD very relevant.”
The County Director added that, “This year’s theme “Why are Clean Hands still important?” Asks a fundamental question and the answer lies in our collective responsibility to safeguarding public health, prevention of infection and its spread as well as promoting of wellbeing.”
“We need to take concrete actions to ensure that everyone everywhere can practice hand-washing. We must re-think our behavioural change approaches to nudge people to wash their hands as frequently as possible. It is not sufficient to provide hygiene facilities without providing the requisite education that would move people from awareness to action,” She added.
She also said that, “The gap between knowledge and practice must be closed urgently because of results we want to achieve lies therein. Secondly, it is the urgent need to appraise the status of the National Hand Hygiene RoadMap that was launched in September 2022 for possible review and costing.”
According to her, “This is because there is only one year left for the roadmap target date of 2025. WaterAid is already collaborating with UNICEF and WHO to undertake this activity which we hope will help chart a way forward in it’s implementation.”
