By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri-
The Borno State Commissioner for Health, Professor Isa Marte has Identified proper handwashing with soap and running water as one of the ways of preventing communicable diseases like cholera, acute water, tuberculosis, cough, Ebola, Covid-19, etc.
He added that it is hygienic for people to ensure that they wash their hands before entering or leaving offices, schools, shopping complexes, markets, motor parks, homes, vehicles, toilets, etc to avoid being contaminated with transmissible diseases.
Prof. Marte, disclosed this on Wednesday during the flagging off ceremony of the Global Handwashing Day, organized in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) held in Maiduguri Metropolis.
The Health Commissioner, who is also The Chief of Staff to Governor Babagana Zulum, noted that, “health is wealth and prevention is better than cure”.
“As such, people should develop the habit of always washing their hands with soap and running or tap water at every entry and exit of public places including homes and offices as well as schools and motor parks”.
“It is only through the washing of hands with soap that we can protect ourselves as well as others from infectious diseases that are commonly transmitted in the society “, Marte said.
Prof. Marte, who was represented by the State Director of Public Health, Dr. Lwai Msgelia, said due to the importance of hand washing, every year, 5th May is being observed globally as World Hand Hygiene Day and this year’s theme is: “Achieving Hand Hygiene at the Point of Care” with Sub Theme: “One Nation, One Plan; Turn Nigeria Orange” and its slogan is: “Seconds-Save Lives, Clean Your Hands!” He said.
According to him, the campaign can not be achieved successfully without the media because of its vital role in informing, educating as well as mobilizing the public on health issues affecting them.
Professor Marte, therefore, appealed to the media to Intensify its efforts in carrying out advocacy on the need for proper and constant hand washing.
He, further, called on the medical and health workers to always wash their hands before and after entering the hospitals and carrying out any operation such as giving patients injections, conducting test, scanning etc.
In his remark, The WHO State Coordinator, Dr. Isiaka Ayodeji, said the event is an annual campaign which is aimed at promoting personal hygiene in order to reduce the spread of diseases among the population globally.
He urged the people to be mindful of the consequences of disease outbreak like covid-19, ebola, cholera, tuberculosis, cough , acute water passage, vomiting etc which is as a result of poor sanitary measures.
Dr. Isiaka, who maintained that the WHO is on a mission to ensure better health for all persons across the world, further urged the health facilitators to carry out the campaign across various homes, offices, gatherings, markets and motor parks among others.
On his part, The Operations Manager, Dr. Isaac Boateng, in an interview with journalists at the Teachers Village IDPs Camp, said the campaign was taken to the IDPs Camps across the state because of the vulnerability of the displaced persons and nature of the refuge camps which are populated, if not crowded and congested due to insurgency.
He noted that the WHO has already assigned trained facilitators to carry out house to house hand washing campaign, especially at the IDPs camps.
Highlights of the campaign include: The demonstration of hand washing exercise with soap and sanitizer by WHO officials, team walk, displaying of banners with slogans as well as group photographs.