By Ahmed Ahmed
WaterAid Nigeria Country Director Evelyn Mere highlighted a pressing concern: despite progress since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The country still grapples with a significant gap between hand-washing knowledge and practice.
Mere’s statement, read by WaterAid State Team Lead Mr. Mashat Mallo, as Nigeria commemorated the 2024 Global Handwashing Day in Bauchi on Tuesday
She stresses the need for collective responsibility in promoting hand-washing practices. By addressing this disparity, Nigeria can ensure a healthier future for its citizens.
“To achieve hand hygiene for all by 2025, Nigeria will need to invest $2.5 billion over the next five years.
“With the government bearing half of the costs for initial hygiene promotion and top-up promotion. Mere said.
Mere emphasized that closing this knowledge-practice gap is crucial for safeguarding public health, preventing infection, and promoting wellbeing.
According to Mere WASH NORMS 2021, 99% of households know at least two critical times for hand-washing, but only 8% can demonstrate proper hand-washing techniques.
“Recent cholera outbreaks underscore the importance of hand washing with soap and water,
Making this year’s theme “Why are Clean Hands still Important?” particularly relevant.
Research has shown that hand-washing knowledge and practice remain a challenge in Nigeria, with only 10% of households demonstrating proper handwashing with water and soap under running water
