Water Aid Nigeria in partnership with Aid Foundation on Tuesday inaugurated its Clean Family Campaign in Kaduna State to promote hygiene in households.
The State Team Lead, Idowu Adebayo said at the inauguration in Kaduna that the campaign would also support the state government’s commitment to end open defecation by 2025.
Adebayo explained that the main objective of the campaign was to influence the adoption of hygiene at critical times by family units.
This, according to her, will lead to improved wellbeing of households and ensure clean environment.
She added that the campaign would also support government and development partners’ efforts in tackling COVID-19 pandemic and other infectious diseases like cholera and diarrhoea.
“Through media engagements and visual messaging, the campaign has been designed to educate people and promote the constant practice of specific behaviours during the pandemic and beyond.
“The campaign will promote hand washing with soap at critical times, use of clean toilets, respiratory hygiene, social distancing and cleaning frequently touched surfaces,’’ she added.
Mr Emmanuel Bonet, the Executive Director, Said Foundation said that the campaign would be implemented in 14 out of the 23 local government areas of the state.
Bonet said that currently, jingles on hygiene were being aired in five radio and two television stations in the state, adding that it would run for 120 days.
According to him, hand washing facilities are being installed in churches, mosques, markets, schools and hospitals and other high-density areas in the 14 benefiting LGAs.
He explained that the facilities were non-touch and user-friendly for children and persons living with disability.
“We are also producing three billboards with different messages on COVID-19, use of face mask, and regular hand washing and would be installed in the three Senatorial Zones in the state.
“We will also distribute information, education and communication materials in primary healthcare centres to educate people on the importance of good hygiene practices.
“We will equally distribute hygiene packs to 5,000 poor and vulnerable households selected from the state Social Register,’’ he said.
He commended the state’s Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) for providing the space for the needed partnership to sensitise households on attitudinal change toward hygiene.
The Director-General of RUWASSA, Mr Ahmed Munir described hygiene as the “first line of defence’’ against infectious diseases like the coronavirus disease.
Munir, represented by Malam Muhammad Ali, Secretary and Legal Adviser of the agency, said that lack of access to water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure makes the practice of hygiene difficult.
This, according to him, results in negative consequences on health, livelihoods, gender equality and socio-economic outcomes.
“It is against this background that we are inaugurating the Clean Family Campaign to motivate communities and healthcare facilities toward practising specific hygiene behaviours.”
Gov. Nasir El-Rufa’i thanked the Water Aid and Aid Foundation for the support, saying it would go a long way in supporting the state in attaining open defecation free status by 2025.
El-Rufa’i, represented by Dr Hamza Abubakar, the Executive Secretary, Kaduna State Primary Healthcare Board, reiterated government’s efforts to provide water and sanitation facilities in all communities in the state. (NAN)
