By: Ify Obi
Governments in all levels have been enjoined to develop hand washing policies, strategies and action plans to promote hand washing and make services and supplies available.
The call was contained in a good will message presented by officer in charge of UNICEF, Enugu Planning and Monitor Specialist, Mrs Maureen Zubic-Okolo at Enugu during a one day Zonal press briefing on 2024 Global hand washing day organized by Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State, Umuahia in collaboration with UNICEF Enugu Field Office.
Mrs Zubic- Okoli equally called on the government to integrate and budget for hand hygiene in national response and resilience plans as well as long term development strategies.
Stressing on this year’s theme, Why are Clean hands still important, Mrs Zubic- Okoli emphasized the significance of this simple but powerful act in safe guarding our health and well being.
She described hand washing as a cornerstone of disease prevention whose impact on public health cannot be over emphasized adding that UNICEF is committed to promoting hand hygiene and has supported hand hygiene initiatives to combat some of the worst epidemics for many years.
Earlier while enlisting the objectives of the programme, the Communications Officer, UNICEF,, Enugu Field Officer , Dr Ijeoma Onuoha-Ogwe called on journalists to use every channel to promote hand washing and also called on stakeholders to address challenges impeding hand washing especially in rural areas.
The WASH Specialist, UNICEF , Field Officer Enugu, Mrs Rebecca Gabriel her presentation, Why are Clean hands still important maintained that apart from being the most effective ways to prevent the spread of diseases, help remove harmful germs and bacteria that cause illness and contagious diseases.
Among the participants which included media stake holders , journalists and on-air personalities drawn from Enugu, Abia, Ebonyi and Anambra State is the station Manager UNIZIK FM, Mrs Ify Obi.