Hand washing, effective in protecting school children, says NGO

From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

The Coordinator Network of Civil Society Organization in Water and Sanitation NEWSAN Bauchi Chapter, Mrs Titi Yakubu said hand washing is an effective means to prevent diseases hence the need for school children to be well informed on good hygiene practices.

Yakubu stated this at the Handwashing Day – celebrated on October 15 in Bauchi : with the theme “Choose Hand Washing, Choose Held at Rahma Conference Center, saying this year celebration was aimed at emphasizing the importance of hand washing among the school children business men and scavengers in the state.

According to Titi, the day which was originally created for children and schools but can be celebrated by anyone promoting hand washing with soap. That is why we invite business men, children and scavengers She said the Day on the theme: “Choose Hand Washing, Choose Health,” was in commemoration of this year’s Global Hand Washing Day under the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Global Communities (GC), Water, Access, Sanitation and Hygiene of the Urban Poor (WASH-UP) programme.

The Coordinator NEWSAN Bauchi, said personal hygiene and good sanitation have become problems for many people, explaining that school children have been identified as the best channels of information dissemination to ensure effective hand washing with soap under the Global Hand Washing programme.

Also speaking, Hajiya Maryam Garba of the Fahimta Women Development Center Bauchi said, “The simple act of hand washing with soap is the most effective way to save children’s lives,” Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programmes. “Washing hands before eating and after

defecation drastically reduces the spread of diarrhoeal diseases and has far reaching effects on the health and welfare of children.”

She said, “Provision of the facilities in these areas is expected to improve hygiene education in the schools and proper use of water and sanitation in the areas.”

Maryam Garba said awareness in respect of the cholera outbreak and educations on hand washing with soap were some of the health intervention, the people have benefitted through the Global Communities,”