Era of promoting handwashing not over — Minister

The Minister of State for the Environment, Iziaq Salako, has said that despite the significant progress made in promoting handwashing with soap under running water, promoting the practice must continue.

He made the remarks during this year’s celebration of Global Handwashing Day, held on October 15, at the Garki International Market, Garki, Abuja. Recall that during pandemics including COVID-19 and Ebola that hit the country, handwashing was widely promoted. However, the tempo appears to have simmered after.

Salako said, “This years’ theme: ‘Why Are Clean Hands Still Important?’ reflects an important question which provokes the thought that irrespective of the significant progress made in promoting handwashing with soup under running water, our journey is far from over.

“This theme therefore confronts every sector and every individual with the reason to continue practicing and promoting effective handwashing and not to neglect this simple but powerful practice seeing that the benefits are limitless.”

It has been reported that about 1.8 million children under the age of five die each year from diarrheal diseases and pneumonia, the top two killers of children around the world.

Children and other vulnerable population are more prone to such diseases because of poor knowledge about the importance and practice of effective handwashing.

In order to create and promote awareness and understanding about the importance of handwashing as an easy, effective and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives, the United Nations General Assembly, in 2008, declared 15th October of every year as Global Handwashing Day.

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