International Non-Governmental Organisation, WaterAid, Nigeria, has urged government at all levels to provide safe, reliable and inclusive Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities in isolation centres.
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Mrs Oluseyi Abdulmalik, the Communications and Media Manager, WaterAid Nigeria, made the call in a statement issued to newsmen on Friday and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi.
Abdulmalik said that as community transmission of the coronavirus rose and lockdown measures are eased in the country, provision of the facilities was necessary.
“WaterAid has warned that Nigeria will not be able to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic without improved access to clean water and good hygiene practices by citizens.
“Handwashing with soap and clean water is one of the simplest and most cost effective public health interventions and the first line of defence against the spread of diseases such as COVID-19.
“We are calling on government at all levels to ensure that isolation, testing and treatment centres have safely managed, reliable and inclusive water, sanitation and hygiene facilities,” she said.
Abdulmalik added that the organisation would meet workers and patients’ needs in the fight against the pandemic.
She further pointed out that urgent steps should be made to ensure that all healthcare facilities are provided with inclusive, equitable water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.
She called on bilateral and multilateral donor agencies and the private sector to provide rapid and flexible funding, as well as technical assistance.
She said that WaterAid was scaling up activities to ensure that the public understood the importance of handwashing with soap and clean water.
The media manager also stressed that the NGO was working in collaboration with Federal and state government on a WASH response that include promoting good hygiene behaviour