Reckitt Benckiser and the Nigerian Medical Association have called on government and other stakeholders involved in the fight against communicable diseases to promote a 21-day hand washing campaign across the country.
According to them, this campaign will educate Nigerians and increase awareness on hand washing as a means to killing bacteria and germs which cause communicable diseases.
Speaking at the inauguration of the “21 days to a ‘Healthy Hands’ Habit with Dettol” campaign in Lagos on Thursday, the General Manager, Reckitt Benckiser Central Africa Region, Mr. Ashok Bhasin, said the campaign was aimed at encouraging Nigerians to entrench the culture of regular hand washing and good personal hygiene.
Bhasin said, “A research on behavioural and attitudinal change has shown that it takes 21 days for people to form a habit. It is hoped that by getting Nigerians to repeat the process of washing their hands over a period of 21 days or three weeks, regular hand washing habit will become part of our daily routine collectively as a nation.”
He also stated that the organisation was partnering with stakeholders in the health and education sector in providing health and hygiene education for the public.
Bhasin, however, noted that another salient factor was that hand washing without soap was not enough to kill germs, but it must be done in combination of the two ingredients.
He called on government to increase Nigerians’ access to clean water and sanitary facilities in homes, schools and workplaces to encourage Nigerians to imbibe this culture and to ensure the success of the campaign.
Bhasin said, “The central message is that washing hands with water is simply not enough. It is imperative to share more knowledge about the need for people to wash their hands with soap especially before preparing food and after using the toilet.”
Also, the National President, Nigerian Medical Association, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, said the hand was a major organ of the body which must be kept clean always by washing with water and an anti-bacterial soap before cooking, eating or performing other tasks.
According to Enabulele, who was represented by the Social Secretary of the NMA, Dr. Martins Momoh, the hand is the only organ of the body which comes in close contact with other organs; hence it is a veritable tool that can prevent or spread germs.
He said, “The hands is the organ that must be kept clean it touches all surfaces and accumulates all germs when it comes in contact with them and takes it back to the food we eat when we don’t wash them off, the mouth and other organs of the body causing infections.
“Hand washing is the simplest way to prevent diarrhoeal-related diseases such as typhoid and cholera and respiratory infections including pneumonia and flu which is killing over 3.5 million children globally and about 200,000 in Nigeria .”
Also, the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Secretary of the Federation, Dr. Henry Akpan, who was represented by Mrs. Philomena Oshodin, said stakeholders must urgently revive the old habit of hand washing in the country.
She added that the campaign should not be limited to urban areas but should reach residents of rural areas where majority of Nigerians live.
Akpan said, “Our market women and other artisans must be educated on this habit. We must not only focus on cities. Personal hygiene is also important, because open defecation also increases the chances of getting infected with germs.
“We must also work together to provide facilities like clean water and toilets to help this habit to last.”
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Source : punchng[dot]com
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