Editor
………Call for Heightened Advocacy to Enhance Hand Hygiene Practices
The Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation and the National Task Group on Sanitation, has partnered with Development Partners to observe Global Handwashing Day 2024.
The event emphasized the critical need for increased advocacy to promote superior hand hygiene practices throughout Nigeria.
The Honourable Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Richard Pheelangwah, reiterated the profound importance of hand hygiene in disease prevention and its pivotal role in advancing public health.
Addressing the gathering in Abuja under the theme “Why Are Clean Hands Still Important?”, the Minister underscored the enduring significance of hand hygiene in thwarting infections and safeguarding communities.
Prof. Utsev highlighted Global Handwashing Day as a vital global campaign to raise awareness about the crucial role of hand hygiene in disease prevention.
He emphasized the timeliness of the theme, urging for behavioral shifts and community-led initiatives to institutionalize handwashing with soap as a habitual practice.
The Minister spotlighted the “Nigeria Hand Hygiene for All” roadmap, introduced in 2022, as a valuable instrument for advancing hygiene standards nationwide. He emphasized the government’s continued prioritization of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) programs aimed at enhancing public health.
He called for heightened investments in hygiene infrastructure in residences, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and public areas, encouraging stakeholders to collaborate in promoting superior hand hygiene practices.
Moreover, the Minister stressed the imperative of ensuring accessibility to hygiene facilities for all, particularly for individuals with disabilities and marginalized communities.
“This initiative seeks to cultivate a culture of hygiene and significantly elevate public health nationwide,” he affirmed.
In a goodwill message, the Honourable Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, represented by Mrs. Danlami Hasana, underscored the fundamental role of handwashing in preserving public health, especially in educational institutions and communities.
He urged individuals to integrate regular handwashing into their daily routines, underscoring its pivotal role in halting the transmission of diseases.
During his opening remarks, the
Permanent Secretary, Mr. Richard Pheelangwah, represented by Mrs. Elizabeth Ugoh, Director of Water Quality Control and Sanitation at the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, lauded the endeavors of the National Task Group on Sanitation (NTGS) in promoting handwashing with soap across communities.
He affirmed the Ministry’s dedication, under visionary leadership, to ensuring widespread adoption of proper hand hygiene practices.
Dr. Jane Bevan, UNICEF’s Chief of WASH, emphasized the necessity of establishing handwashing as a universal social norm. She urged individuals not only to practice hand hygiene but also to advocate for it within their communities, stressing the importance of upholding proper hygiene standards.
The event included goodwill messages from Development Partners, such as WHO, Reckitt, Sightsavers, WaterAid, and the Representative of the WASH Ambassador.
Key highlights of the occasion encompassed the bestowal of awards to winners of the Secondary School Competition and a symbolic handwashing ceremony led by eminent government officials.
