World Hand-washing Day: 72% of schools in Plateau lack basic hand-washing facilities – NEWSAN

World Hand-washing Day: 72% of schools in Plateau lack basic hand-washing facilities – NEWSAN

A Jos-based NGO, Network Society for Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN), says about 72 per cent of public and private primary and secondary schools in Plateau lack basic handwashing facilities.

Mr Jephtha Daleng, Project Technical Officer of the organisation, stated this in an interview with Supreme Magazine on Tuesday in Jos, as the world marks the 2019 Global Hand-washing Day.

Supreme Magazine reports that Global Hand-washing Day is celebrated every Oct. 15.

Daleng regretted that the trend had often exposed school children to all kinds of communicable diseases, which in turn led to low performance in their academics.

The technical officer added that the absence of such important facility in schools would hinder the state from attaining goals three, four and six of the Sustainable Development Goals, by 2030.

“As we speak, just about 28 per cent of schools in Plateau has proper handwashing facilities. The remaining 72 per cent do not have it at all.

“We did not stay in the comfort of our office to fabricate this statistics, but it was developed from a conscious research that was conducted.

“This development is not only affecting the health and education of the children, it also has tremendous effects on the economy of the state.

“So, I want to call on government and private school owners to provide these facilities to enable a healthy future for the children of the state,” he urged.

The technical officer called on those in authority to also make available handwashing facilities in offices, motor parks, hospitals and all public places.

Daleng admonished all people of the state to imbibe the habit of constant handwashing, particularly when they come in contact with germs.

“We can only have a healthy population when the citizens imbibe the habit of constantly washing their hands.

“You must wash with soap and in a running water before cooking, eating, after toilet and at all critical times, that is, when you come in contact with germs,” he advised.

According to him, it is also key for communities in the state to provide handwashing facilities at key points, adding that it will reduce the risk of contacting diseases and enhance personal hygiene at the rural levels.

Advancing rationale for marking the Global Handwashing Day, Daleng said that the occassion sought to raise awareness about the importance of handwashing.

He said the day was used to encourage action that would promote and sustain handwashing
habits.

Supreme Magazine reports that the 2019 global hand-washing day has the theme: 'Clean Hands for All’.

Source: NAN

Photo Credit: Google