NAN-HG-6
Handwashing
Dutse, Oct. 13, 2016 (NAN) The World Health Organisation (WHO) has selected Kafinhausa Local Government Area of Jigawa for the flag-off of the 2016 Global Handwashing Day in the state.
The council’s Information Officer, Malam Fahad Muhammad, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Dutse.
According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Global Handwashing Day takes place on every Oct. 15 to raise awareness of handwashing with soap as a key approach to disease prevention.
“It is a campaign to motivate and mobilise people around the world to improve their handwashing habits.
“The campaign was initiated to reduce childhood mortality rates, related respiratory and diarrheal diseases by introducing simple behavioral changes, such as handwashing with soap.
“This simple, accessible action can, according to research, reduce the rate of mortality from these diseases by almost 25 and 50 per cent, respectively.’’
Muhammad said that the day was set aside by WHO to educate the public on the importance of washing hands before and after eating, and using the toilet.
The council’s spokesman, while commending the world health body for the gesture, said that selection of the local government would enable it to educate its citizenry on health-related issues.
Muhammad said that the local government would continue to support and partner the global organisation in the area of healthcare delivery. (NAN)
MNB/ORO/GOK
Editing by Razak Owolabi/Olagoke Olatoye)