NAN-AE-6
Sanitation
By Tosin Kolade
Abuja, Jan. 4, 2017 (NAN) A communication expert, Prof. Chudi Uwazuruike, on Wednesday urged
government at all levels to initiate policies that would address the sanitation and hygiene needs of Nigerians.
Uwazuruike told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the existing sanitation facilities were inadequate going by the size of the country’s population.
He stressed the need for the government to take concrete steps to make its populace to have access to facilities that would discourage open defaecation and indiscriminate dumping of refuse.
According to him, over 70 per cent of ailments are caused by lack of good sanitation and potable water.
Uwazuruike said that one among five children die from hygiene-related diseases, adding this could be prevented by hygienic practices such as washing of hands with soap and water.
“Empowering children to be hygiene heroes will go a long way in promoting hand washing culture in the society.
“Children can tell their parents, friends and teachers the benefits of washing their hands at critical times.
“They can also act as change agents to reduce increasing rate of preventable deaths,” he said.
Uwazuruike called for awareness about the benefits of hygiene and sanitation to reduce deaths arising from the bad habits.
He said that washing of hands with soap after defaecation, before handling foods, eating and feeding a child, would prevent families from getting diarrhea and other diseases.
According to him, it is possible to achieve open defaecation-free Nigeria, saying that Bangladesh and Peru have recorded significant reduction in open defaecation prevalence.
He said that Nigeria could achieve its target of meeting the National Roadmap of Ending Open defaecation by 2025, if policies were in place to encourage behavioural change for sanitation and hygiene.
Uwazuruike said that proper hygiene promotion messages could bridge the gap between knowledge and attitude in hygienic practices.
He urged the relevant authorities to introduce sanitary inspectors that would enforce hygiene practices and reduce
outbreak of preventable diseases.
Uwazuruike attributed open defaecation to the level of poverty facing majority of Nigerians, saying that poor people were 36 times more likely to defaecate in the open than the rich.
He called on all stakeholders to develop simple and cost-effective messages that would enable more Nigerians to have attitudinal change and do things right.
He urged the Federal Government to remove barriers to sanitation and hygiene in the country being a signatory to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. (NAN)
TAK/OSA/GOK
Edited by Shittu Obassa/Olagoke Olatoye
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