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UNICEF Marks 2024 Global Handwashing Day In Enugu, says it is a cornerstone of disease prevention

     BY JUDE OSSAI / ENUGU
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United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) CFO/OIC, Enugu Field Office, Mrs Juliet Chiluwe has reiterated the importance of handwashing, saying it is a cornerstone of disease prevention and its impact on public health cannot be overstated.
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Chiluwe represented by Mrs Maureen Zubie-Okolo, Monitoring For Result (M4R) UNICEF  Specialist, Enugu Field Office, stated this in her goodwill message at a one-day zonal press briefing on Global Handwashing Day 2024, held at Hotel Syvia, Enugu on Tuesday.
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The briefing which had journalists, civil society groups drawn from Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu states was organised by UNICEF in collaboration with Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State (BCA).
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Zubie-Okolo noted that Handwashing is simple yet an incredibly effective way to prevent the spread of diseases and protect public health.”
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“As we celebrate Global Handwashing Day with the Theme: ‘Why are clean hands still important?’, I want to emphasize the significance of this simple yet powerful act in safeguarding our health and well-being”, she said.
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According to her, “UNICEF is committed to promoting hand hygiene among the communities we serve. We believe that by fostering a culture of handwashing, we can contribute to a healthier and safer world for all. UNICEF supports national handwashing campaigns and helps integrate handwashing into other existing programmes – like health, education and nutrition – in over 90 countries.
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“Together with governments, we develop handwashing policies, strategies and action plans to promote handwashing and make services and supplies available. This includes hand hygiene in school policies and health-care facilities. In collaboration with the World Health Organization, we monitor handwashing in households, schools and health-care facilities around the world.
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“UNICEF has supported hand hygiene initiatives to combat some of the worst epidemics, including Ebola and cholera, for many years. Since the emergence of the global COVID-19 pandemic UNICEF has scaled up hand hygiene efforts in various countries and regions.
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“This sets ambitious targets for expanding access to hand hygiene schools, health-care facilities, workspaces, displacement camps and other key areas of ) interest. Our global coordination with partners will help ensure countries hold on to the made in hand hygiene beyond the pandemic.
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“All of society must work together to achieve universal hand hygiene. To move forward together we must understand where we stand. To support this, UNICEF and WHO launched a joint report, The State of the World’s Hand Hygiene, on Global Handwashing Day in 2021. This report is the first of its kind, bringing together hand hygiene critical data sets and insights to present the sector’s current status and highlight lagging progress, calling upon Member States and support agencies to action, and offering numerous inspiring examples of change across the SDG 6 accelerator themes.
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“This #Global HandwashingDay, we call on governments to integrate and budget for hand hygiene in national response and resilience plans, as well as long-term development strategies. Donors should invest in programs that prioritize hand hygiene, promote access to hand hygiene facilities, and support public health and economic resilience. Suppliers should collaborate with governments, health systems, and NGOs to ensure sustainable supply chains for hand hygiene products. Businesses should prioritize hand hygiene for employee health and safety. Institutions should implement a multi-faceted approach for hand hygiene, including promotion, accessible facilities, regular monitoring, and behavior reinforcement. Lastly, academics should fill evidence gaps and translate research into practical resources for hand hygiene intervention and program development.”
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Earlier in her welcome address, the Acting Managing Director Enugu State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (EN-RUWASSA), Chika Mbah said, “Hand washing is more than a Simple act, it’s a critical Intervention in preventing disease, promoting health, especially for our children pregnant women and aged adults.
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The EN-RUWASSA boss who was represented by Chioma Dick-Emmanuel said, “As we must recognise, the most effective solutions often lie in on daily routines. By pomoting proper hand hygiene, we can greatly reduce the incidence of preventable diseases, safeguarding the health of our schlools and communities.
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“This year’s theme emphasises the importance of handwashing not only as a means of protection on health but also as a tool for human empowerment. We are here to motivate everyone-children, adults and communities, to embrace this live-saving practice of hand washing.
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“I would like to sincerely appreciate UNICEF for the support and partnership in the efforts to promote health and hygiene.
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“The hand is often a route through which preventable diseases gain entrance into our bodies. By proper hand washing, we break the transmissions of common cold, lnflenza, Hepatitis/ foodborne illnesses, norovirus ans rotavima etc.
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Dr (Mrs) Ijeoma Onuoha Ogwe, Communications Officer, UNICEF, Enugu Field Officer had in her introductions and meeting objectives, told the participants the imperative of Handwashing and the call for action.
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The UNICEF Communications Officer, charged the media to use their different platforms to inform the people on the importance of regular hand washing.
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Also, Mrs Rebecca Gabriel, WASH Specialist, UNICEF Field Office, Enugu spoke extensively on “Why are clean hands still important?”
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Gabriel listed critical times of Handwashing which included: washing hands before eating food, changing baby diapers, before breastfeeding and before cooking food.
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The WASH Specialist, while stressing on the need to have constant hand washing, said that regular hand washing was capable of reducing diarrhea by 30%, pointing out that hand washing could also reduce acute respiratory infection by 20%.
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She further pointed out that tropical diseases such as elephantiasis, which are endemic in many places in Nigeria, could be curbed through regular hand washing.
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According to her, 83% of the Nigerian population lack proper hand washing facilities and as a result, many people are suffering from communicable diseases.
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To stem the diseases caused by not embarking on regular hand washing, the WASH specialist called on governments to increase budgetary allocation for hygiene as well as provide adequate water for drinking and other purposes.
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She lamented that in the South East alone, about 3.6 million households do not have toilet facilities, thereby indulging in open defecation that eventually permeate into water fountains and streams.
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The Director-General of BCA, Umuahia, Francis Nwaubani represented by UNICEF Desk Officer, Okezie Nkpa, also charged the participants to help in the enlightenment on the Handwashing at critical times through their reportage to members of the public.
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Editor
Jude Ossai (JP) a veteran journalist is a National Diploma holder in Mass Communication from Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State. He also studied at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Enugu and Imo State University, Owerri for his first and second degrees in Mass Communication, respectively. He writes extensively on politics, crime, corruption, climate change, healthcare, human rights, social justice, among others.
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Jude Ossai (JP) a veteran journalist is a National Diploma holder in Mass Communication from Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State. He also studied at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Enugu and Imo State University, Owerri for his first and second degrees in Mass Communication, respectively. He writes extensively on politics, crime, corruption, climate change, healthcare, human rights, social justice, among others.
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