Global Handwashing Day: Minister Urges Washing of Hand With Soap and Water

Folalumi Alaran

The minister of water resources Mr. Suleiman Adamu has urged Nigerians to regularly wash their hands, highlighting how crucial it is to maintaining hygiene and good health.

He made the call on Monday in Abuja, during the commemoration of the 2022 Global Handwashing Day, The theme for this year event is ‘Unite for Universal Hand Hygiene’.

Adamu, who spoke through Mrs Elizabeth Ugoh, Director Water Quality Control and Sanitation, explained that the event is observed annually to raise awareness on value of using soap to wash hands and to lessen the burden of numerous diseases that pose a threat to development and population health.

According to him, only 13% of Nigeria’s rural residents have access to water sanitation and hygiene WASH, compared to 25% of its urban residents, and the wealthiest homes are nearly four times more likely to have basic handwashing facilities than the poorest households, which affects an estimated 171 million Nigerians.

He noted that this year’s theme was “opt” and pledged to keep working on numerous projects to guarantee everyone has access to sufficient hand hygiene.

He therefore pleaded with all stakeholders in the sanitation sector to build on the gains made in recent years by working together to ensure that handwashing facilities are present in their residences, offices, schools, healthcare facilities, and other public areas.

He said, ” We know that handwashing with soap is key to reducing the burden of many diseases and it contributes to preventing and mitigating the transmission of diseases such as Cholera, Diarrhoea, Lassa Fever, COVID-19, and the Neglected Tropical Diseases.

” Consequently, Ministry of water resources has rolled out several initiatives including: the development of the National Action Plan for the revitalization of the WASH Sector with the declaration of a State of Emergency in the Sector, the implementation of the PEWASH programme, the launch of ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet’ Campaign to end open defecation by 2025 and signing of Executive Order 9.

” Furthermore, the $700million Sustainable Urban and Rural WASH (SURWASH) project has commenced within the context of stimulating increased access to WASH through investment in the relevant infrastructure. In addition, we have put in place a National Hygiene Promotion Strategy and the Implementation Guidelines for Schools, Primary Health Care Centres and Public Places.
” In August this year, we launched Nigeria’s Hand Hygiene for All Roadmap following an extensive development process which was preceded by a formative research and consultation of diverse stakeholders within the three levels of government- beginning from the national to the State, LGA and Community level.” He said.

The representative of WaterAid Nigeria, Mr. Emmanuel Iorkunbur, said that in Nigeria, diarrhea is the second leading cause of children death and accounts for almost 16% of all pediatric deaths each year.

However, he went on to say that routine hand washing can lower the risk of contracting diarrhea and other infectious diseases.

He also urged the private sector to make hygiene products accessible, inexpensive, and available to all people, even those from underprivileged backgrounds.

He said, ” We must invest in hygiene behavior promotion, citizens must practice hand washing and make it a lifestyle across all states local government and rural communities. “As a member of the global handwashing partnership, WaterAid Nigeria will continue to collaborate with all stakeholders, especially government at all levels to strengthen systems and build industry partnerships’’.

Dr Nicholas Igwe, National Coordinator, Organised Private sector in WASH, on his part said that the eruption of the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the value of handwashing as a system to prevent and control disease.