NAN-AE-7
Disease
By Tosin Kolade
Abuja, Jan. 4, 2017 (NAN) The Federal Ministry of Water Resources is partnering with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to prevent the outbreak of waterborne disease in Nigeria.
Mrs Elizabeth Ugoh, Deputy Director, Water Quality Control and Sanitation in the ministry, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday that the collaboration would ensure improved livelihood.
Ugoh said such response include the promotion of good hygiene practices, provision of safe drinking water and toilet facilities, to improve the overall living conditions of Nigerians.
She said its partnership with NEMA was specifically targeted at emergencies, especially in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps, and promotion of overall well being of such persons.
According to her, persons living in the IDPs Camps in the North-East are in continuous need of water and accessible toilets facilities, which should not be ignored.
Ugoh said that although inadequate funds was still a challenge, development partners such as UN Children’s Fund and the UN High Commission on Refugees, had been partnering to improve sanitation and hygiene.
She said that access to water and sanitation had reduced incidences of preventable deaths, adding that it was necessary to scale up actions on these needs.
Ugoh said that Water Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) interventions could interrupt diarrhea transmission, and reduce the burden of morbidity and mortality associated with faecal-oral.
The deputy director said Nigeria needed to improve its policies at increasing access to water, sanitation and hygiene.
She urged private individuals and industrialists to take ownership of improving sanitation in their local communities.
Ugoh said that such ownership would reduce the spread of preventable diseases, boost healthy living, and promote a more productive citizenry.
The official said that globally, no fewer than 500, 000 children die annually from preventable diseases caused by unsafe water and sanitation.
She said it was important for all stakeholders to play their part to ensure that Nigerians live healthy, dignified and productive lives.
Ugoh, however, called on Nigerians to have clear plans and programmes on water and sanitation, to enable it to meet the Sustainable Development Goals on universal access to water and sanitation by 2030.
She said that that there was need for all tiers of government to take ownership of improving WASH service to all Nigerians. (NAN)
TAK/FLP/MO
Edited by Folorunso Poroye/Morayo Omolade