Hand washing: Over 150, 000 children don’t see their fifth birthday due to diarrhoea
By: Chioma Umeha
Every year, over 150, 000 children do not see their fifth birthday due to diarrheal diseases caused by unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene practices, a new study by U-Report confirmed. Experts have said that the trend is worrisome as simple handwashing with soap
has been found to be one of the cheapest, simplest and most effective
means of preventing diarrhoea and pneumonia, the leading causes of
Nigerian child’s death.
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| L-R: Nollywood Actress and Brand Ambassador, Dettol, Patience Ozokwor (Mama Gee), General Manager, West Africa, Reckitt Benckiser, Rahul Murgai; Marketing Director, West Africa, Reckitt Benckiser, Oguzhan Silivrili, Nollywood Actress and producer with students of Royal Master’s Schools, Ikeja at the Media Parley unveiling the Dettol ‘Give Life A Hand’ Campaign in commemoration of Global Handwashing Day 2014. |
“Every year over 150,000 children die from diarrhoea alone, largely
caused by unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene practices. Hand washing
with soap is one of the cheapest, simplest and most effective means of
preventing diarrhoea and pneumonia, the leading causes of child deaths
in Nigeria. As the Ebola response takes its toll on the health services
in the affected countries, the practice of hand washing is even more
important in warding off these common diseases,” the U-Report said.
According to experts, this year’s Global Hand washing Day, being the
seventh edition further underscores the importance of hand washing with
soap in disease prevention and spread, in view of the current global
fight against Ebola virus disease (EVD). A report on Tuesday, by UNICEF noted that hand washing with soap has
been an important tool, an additional line of defence in the fight
against the spread of EVD.
“In the fight against the spread of Ebola Virus Disease, hand washing
with soap has been an important tool, an additional line of defence,”
the report said.
This year’s theme “Choose hand washing, Choose Health” is apt given
that hand washing with soap not only protects the individual, but also
protects his/her family against the infections and prevents the spread
of disease outbreaks, the UNICEF report said. Everyone can choose to wash hands with soap after using toilet and
before eating/preparing food and thereby protect themselves and their
families, it added. Global Hand washing Day a reminder that the simple practice saves lives.
In Nigeria, more than 10 million people will be reached with hand
washing messages through various activities planned for this year’s
commemoration of Global hand washing Day, the UNICEF report said. It added: “There will be nationwide hand washing promotion through
high profile hand washing demonstrations in schools and communities,
mass rallies, road shows, airing of jingles on radio and television.
Also, dissemination of hand washing messages on U-Report, Facebook and
Twitter have been planned for creating massive awareness on hand washing
with soap in the country, the report said.
UNICEF has been supporting the governments in raising awareness about
Ebola in Nigeria as well as in other affected countries, working to
counter misconceptions about the disease that put even more people at
risk. ‘Nigeria has done well so far to contain the spread of Ebola’, said
Jean Gough, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria. “What Nigeria needs now is
sustained promotion of hand washing. Let’s pledge to make hand washing
with soap a national habit and reduce the number of Nigerian children
who die from diarrhoea annually’, she added.
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