The Jigawa State government has announced plans to reintroduce a 1970s-era house-to-house health inspection policy to enforce personal and environmental hygiene.
The move is aimed at tackling preventable diseases and sustaining the state’s open defecation-free (ODF) status.
The state commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Dr Nura Ibrahim Kazaure, disclosed this during a two-day orientation workshop for 270 environmental health workers in Dutse.
The orientation was organised by the Jigawa State Environmental Protection Agency (JISEPA) with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to equip participants with the necessary skills for their tasks.
Dr Kazaure explained that reviving the house-to-house health inspection is critical for addressing the high rates of child and maternal mortality, improving public health and reducing hospital admissions by promoting better hygiene practices.
“Additionally, the inspections will reinforce the government’s ban on open defecation. Jigawa State has been certified as open defecation-free and maintaining this status is more challenging than achieving it,” he said.
He urged participants to take their roles seriously, emphasising that their primary responsibility is to educate, counsel and advise households, businesses and the general public on maintaining personal and environmental hygiene using affordable and accessible resources.
The commissioner also highlighted the state government’s ongoing construction of public toilets in schools, motor parks, markets and other high-traffic areas to ensure universal access to sanitation facilities and discourage open defecation.
The managing director of JISEPA, Mr Adamu Sabo, noted that the 270 participants were drawn from the state’s 27 local government areas with 10 representatives from each.
He commended Governor Umar Namadi for his unwavering support and UNICEF for its partnership in advancing environmental protection, water sanitation and hygiene initiatives in the state.
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