By Suzan Edeh, Bauchi
WaterAid Nigeria and partners with funding from DP World have trained students of secondary schools in Misau local government area of Bauchi state on hygiene practices in commemoration of the global Handwashing Day.
Daily Independent reports that schools that participated in the training include Government Girls Day Secondary School Misau, Government Junior Secondary School Hardawa Misau and Government Junior Secondary School Fawari Misau.
The training was organized by WaterAid in collaboration with Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA), Bauchi Primary Healthcare Development Agency and implemented by Women Development Association for Self Sustenance (WODASS) and held at the Chartwell Hotel in Misau LGA.
Speaking on the objective of the training, the Programme Manager of WODASS, Magaji Barde stated that the aim of the training was to educate school boys and girls in secondary schools in the local government on how to improve their health through the practice of handwashing practices, adding that since the students are future leaders, protecting their health through handwashing was vital for them to succeed in life.
He said that the essence of handwashing in schools is to promote the culture of hygiene always, thereby reducing the risk of contacting Hygiene- related illness such as Cholera, typhoid, Diarrhea and Hepatitis A.
He called on the School authorities in the LGAs to come up with sustainability plan of the environmental health clubs in the respective schools to maintain hygiene practices .
A Resource Person from WODASS, Safiya Umar spoke on the importance of Hand Hygiene in the prevention of diseases and roles of environmental health clubs, saying that the five key Hygiene behaviours include washing of hands with water and soap or detergent or ash, washing of hands after the use of toilet, practicing of good food hygiene by thoroughly cooking and reheating food, drinking clean and safe Water, treating and storing water properly and maintaining menstrual hygiene among girls.
According to her, the training was vital in order to promote the culture of handwashing in schools so that students and teachers can be healthy and concentrate on their studies without the distraction of any form of disease.
Another resource person from BASEPA, Haruna Suleiman in his presentation on the role of stakeholders in promoting hygiene, said that engaging local communities in WASH initiatives can help to ensure the sustainability of Water Hygiene practices, adding that governments and organisations should invest in maintaining and developing WASH infrastructures including water treatment plants, Sanitation facilities and hygiene promotion programs.
Highlights of training include practical demonstration of Child life game and handwashing by WASH authorities.