WHO takes handwashing campaign to IDPs camps

Dr Isaac Boateng, the WHO Health Operation Manager for Emergency Response in North-East, made this known to newsmen at a camp in Maiduguri on Wednesday.

Boateng said the measure by WHO Community Health Champions and other partners was to commemorate the 2021 World Hand Hygiene Day.

The 2021 global theme for the World Hand Hygiene Day is: “Achieving Hand Hygiene at the Point of Care’’ with the slogan: “Seconds Save Live – Clean Your Hands”.

Boateng said that IDPs, being more vulnerable, needed such intervention to help them take preventive measures against infection, including the current COVID-19 pandemic.

“Hand hygiene solves about 90 per cent of all infection cases,” Boateng said.

The operation manager for Emergency said the world health body had been coordinating such health responses over the years in Borno.

He said it had been yielding positive results, as there was no report of cholera outbreak in 2020 in the state.

“Last year, the good news is that we didn’t have cholera cases, and this year, we are hoping for the same with improved hygiene in camps and host communities,” Boateng said.

Also, the Coordinator of WHO in Borno, Dr Isiaka Ayodeji, said hand hygiene was very central to health workers, adding that they were more susceptible to diseases from patients.

Ayodeji assured the Borno Government of sustained support by WHO in the area of healthcare delivery.

In his remarks, Dr Lawi Mshelia, Director, Public Health, representing Borno Government, said the government with the support of WHO and other stakeholders, was doing its best to ensure regular handwashing.

Mshelia said this was an effective way to reduce the spread of pathogens and prevent infections, including COVID-19.