Lack Of WASH Services Exposing Health Workers, Patients To Infections – Minister

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Minister of health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, has said that healthcare workers, patients and caregivers were exposed to infections in the hospitals due to lack of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services.

The minister, who stated this at the launch of the National Guidelines for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services in the Healthcare Facilities (HCF) in Nigeria, held in Abuja, said without access to WASH services, healthcare centres in the country would be ill equipped to manage even the COVID-19 crisis and other Health Associated infections (HAIs).

Quoting WaterAid, Ehanire said despite handwashing with soap being one of the critical first lines of defence against the spread of the highly contagious and deadly coronavirus disease, a good number of healthcare centres in Nigeria were at risk of becoming epicentres of the disease because of lack of access to combined water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services, putting the lives of doctors, nurses, midwives, other caregivers and patients at risk.
He noted that a functional WASH facility/system is an effective strategy for the prevention and control of diseases, most especially epidemic prone diseases.
“In the light of Covid-19 and other emerging Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHF’s), WASH services are essential and familiar functions of local, state and federal public health agencies. It is a mandatory component of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) for healthcare providers and the general public”, said Ehanire.
He said although the Federal Ministry of Health is taking the lead in WASH in HCFs, WASH is a multi-sectoral, public health concern that requires continuous collaboration among WASH sectors for the attainment of WASH Global Best practices.
“For a harmonized approach to WASH services and guaranty accessibility of health professionals at all levels for effective utilization and assurance of the benefits of WASH in Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) of diseases in HCFs in Nigeria, the Guidelines must be widely circulated and disseminated for implementation by all stakeholders,” he said.