Wateraid on Wednesday urged Nigerians to provide hand-washing and healthcare facilities at homes, schools, and public places to avoid spreading of Coronavirus (Covid-19) and other diseases.
Country Director, Wateraid, Mrs Evelyn Mere, said this in a statement by Mrs Oluseyi Abdulmalik, Communications and Media Manager of the organisation in Abuja.
Evelyn said that hand-washing with soap and water could drastically reduce the risk of people contracting infectious diseases such as the coronavirus and other diseases.
She said that coronavirus was now recognised as a public health emergency of international concern.
“Following the confirmation of the second case of Covid-19 in Nigeria, the organisation is re-echoing the importance of frequent hand-washing with soap to prevent the spread and other diseases.
“We cannot over emphasise the crucial role hand-washing with soap plays in preventing the spread of diseases and protecting oneself.
“Hands are carriers of germs and we often use them to touch a number of unclean surfaces and then back to touch our food, mouth, eyes, nose or body.
“Hand-washing with soap and water can save lives and we can only achieve this by changing our behaviours and making hand-washing and healthcare facilities available in homes, schools, and public places.
“Also, we should ensure we use these facilities to wash our hands with soap and water at all critical times,’’ she said.
Mere said that figures from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF 2019 Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) reveal that 58 per cent homes in Nigeria do not have hand-washing facilities.
She said that national statistics put the population of those in the country that lack access to hand-washing facilities at about 150 million.
She added that only five per cent of health facilities in Nigeria have combined basic water, sanitation and hygiene services; with just 13 per cent of schools having basic water and sanitation services.
“Against this sad reality, large segments of the population healthcare workers, babies, children, public workers and indeed everyone are at risk of contracting diseases like the Coronavirus.
“Recognised as the single most cost-effective do-it-yourself vaccine, hand-washing with soap and water can reduce disease spread by nearly half.
