THE Federal Government has lamented that a good number of healthcare centres in Nigeria were at risk of becoming epicentres of disease because of lack of access to combined Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services thereby putting the lives of doctors, nurses, midwives, other caregivers and patients at risk.
Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire in his speech at the launch of the National Guidelines for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services in the Healthcare Facilities (HCF) in Nigeria said that the Federal Ministry of Health is taking the lead in WASH in HCFs, but noted that WASH is multi-sectoral and public health concern that requires continuous collaboration for the attainment of WASH global best practices.
He noted that the guidelines must be widely circulated and disseminated for implementation by all stakeholders to achieve a harmonised approach to WASH services and guaranty accessibility of health professionals at all levels for effective utilisation and assurance of the benefits of WASH in Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) of diseases in HCFs in Nigeria.
Ehanire explained that WASH is a strategy to ensure adequate provision of Water Sanitation and Hygiene services in the HCFs in addressing prevailing WASH related problems in HCFs in the country.
He said: “Safe drinking-water, sanitation and hygiene are crucial to human health and well-being. Safe WASH is not only a prerequisite to health, but contributes to livelihoods, school attendance and dignity and helps to create resilient communities living in healthy environments.
“The role of WASH services in preventing the spread of infections and promoting good health in the healthcare facilities is the focal point of this document.”
“Functional WASH facility/system had been recognised as an effective strategy for the prevention and control of diseases, especially epidemic prone-diseases.
“An effective and efficient WASH facility/system provides a break in the chain of disease transmission that will lead to reduction of morbidity and mortality that may result from the epidemics of these infectious diseases.
“In the light of COVID-19 and other emerging Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHF’s), WASH services are essential and familiar functions of local, state and federal public health agencies. It is a mandatory component of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) for healthcare providers and the general public.”
Similarly, the Permanent Secretary, Mamman Mamouda, in his remarks, disclosed that the development of the National Guidelines was conceived as the Federal Ministry of Health to improve and deepen WASH services in HCFs in Nigeria after the Presidential Declaration of State of Emergency in WASH sector in 2018.
“In 2019, Federal Ministry of Health in collaboration with other Technical Committee (TC) members selected from the WASH sector comprising Federal Ministries of (Water Resources, Environment, Works & Housing), Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), WaterAid Nigeria, World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations Childrens’ Fund (UNICEF), were saddled with the responsibility of developing the National Guidelines.”
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