From Maurice Okafor, Enugu
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has re-emphasised the pertinent need for every human being to adopt the habit of keeping his or her hands clean all the time, as a gateway to healthy living.
The WASH (Water,vSanitation and Hygiene) Specialist attached to UNICEF field office Enugu, Mrs Rebecca Gabriel, Dr Mrs Ijeoma Onuoha Ogwe,who is the Communication Officer, UNICEF,cEnugu field office, among other resource persons, stated this in Enugu, yesterday.
They spoke at the one-day zonal press briefing for selected media practitioners in the South East zone, to mark the 2024 Global Hand Washing Day( GHD).
The event with theme ‘Why are Clean Hands important’, was packaged by UNICEF in collaboration with Broadcasting Corporation of Abia state (BCA).
Introducing the meeting objectives, the UNICEF Communication Officer,vEnugu Field Office, Dr Mrs Ijeoma Onuoha Ogwe, reitterated the commitment of the organisation in advocating for healthy living for the people,stating it has become imperative to harp on the need for regujar washing of hands,as a measure of reducing infectious diseases so as to sustain healthy living.
She lamented that the consciousness of washing hands at intervals among people inculcated during the COVID-19 era has been eroded.
She stressed that UNICEF, World Health Organisation (WHO), among other international organisations are keen in restoring and sustaining the culture of Hand Washing globally, so as to reduce preventive diseases.
Speaking on the theme, ‘Why are Clean Hands still important?’,Mrs Rebecca Gabriel identified the most critical times deserving hand washing to include immediately after easing at convenience rooms, before breasting babies,before cooking,before meal and after every meal.
Dr Chidi Ezinwa,:a lecturer and Child rights expert at Enugu State University of Science and Technology(ESUT) who was one of the Resource persons also harped on the vital need to imbibe regular washing of hands as a culture.
During panel session,the acting Managing Director, ENRUWASSA,:Mrs Chika Mbah, explained that Governor Peter Mbah led administration in Enugu state has embarked on the projject of sinking boreholes in several communities in the state,so they can have to clean and regular water supply.
Participants identified lack of adequate water supply as a hinderance to regular washing of hands and called on the authorities to do the needful,most especially in the rural communities,in educational institutions,in the markets and other public institutions,etc, as a way of gingering the public to imbibe regular washing of hands as a.l culture.
