WaterAid, an International Organization, says adequate supply of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities could be the first means of preventing the spread of communicable diseases among citizenry in the country.
Dr Michael Ojo, Country Director of the organization, made the assertion in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to Ojo, hygiene, and in particular hand washing, are frequently overlooked, and yet they make a huge difference to the health and well being of the global population.
“Presence of WASH facilities should be the priority of every government because most diseases across the globe are water and environmental related.”
Ojo explained that out of all WASH interventions, hygiene promotion had proven to be particularly effective in reducing mortality rate, especially among children and pregnant women.
He added that it had been identified as the most cost-effective disease control intervention.
The official also identified regular hand washing as a critical means for maximizing the health benefits of investments in water supply and sanitation infrastructure and combating many health risks.
“As the next World Health Assembly approaches in May 2017, WaterAid is calling for more political will and more funding to be devoted to this critical building block for health to ensure no health center is without WASH facilities.
“And we are pleased to see health professionals from around the world joining our call.
“As part of our ‘Healthy Start’ campaign and our efforts to promote hygiene and integrate WASH and health, WaterAid Nigeria is carrying out stakeholders’ validation workshops in our six focal states.
“This is to enable us to present findings from our assessment of WASH facilities in primary health care centers in selected local governments across these six states.
“We will share and verify findings from this recent research, review the recommendations with stakeholders, and jointly develop action plans for ways forward to address the issues raised,” he said.
WaterAid director said the action had provided the body with an opportunity to highlight the WASH status of primary health centers and the vital role health workers play in improving maternal and child health outcomes.
According to him, the full report from this assessment, which will be available in the very near future, will then inform them how to go forward to practically address WASH issues in the six focal states.
He said through the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development, world leaders had promised to ensure everyone everywhere has access to safe water and sanitation by 2030.
Ojo said to keep the promise, ensuring water, sanitation and hygiene at every level of health services must be a priority to government at all levels.
“The World Health Organization Action Plan aims to provide these essential services everywhere by 2030, but requires political prioritization and financing to succeed.
“One in five deaths of newborn babies in the developing world are caused by infections with a strong link to dirty water, poor sanitation and unhygienic conditions and Nigeria has one of the largest numbers of neonatal deaths worldwide.
“This puts patients and healthcare workers at unacceptable risk of infection, including some of the most vulnerable members of society – new mothers and their newborns,” Ojo said.
He, therefore, called on other private sectors to join hands with WaterAid’s campaign to ensure that WASH activity is put at the heart of healthcare centers.
Ojo also called on health ministers in the continent to fulfill their promises to provide quality healthcare for all by 2030 by acting now to provide clean water, sanitation and good hygiene in all healthcare facilities. (NAN)