As part of activities marking the Global Hand Washing Day which is an annual event aimed at creating awareness on the benefits of effective hand washing with clean water and soap, Kaduna State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) in collaboration with UNICEF has stepped down the global hand washing to Kudan and Chikun local government areas of Kaduna State.
This year’s Global Hand Washing Day with the theme “Unite for Universal Hand Hygiene” is aimed at promoting the culture of effective hand washing with soap among people to ensure a healthy society.
Kaduna State deputy governor Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe represented by permanent secretary Ministry for Local and Chieftaincy Affairs at the event said the present administration is committed to providing potable water and sanitation in rural communities as a way of preventing water and other hygiene related diseases.
She said hand washing is the first hand defence in preventing outbreak of some diseases such as COVID -19, diarrhea and cholera among others and therefore called on all stakeholders to work together in promoting hand washing culture among the people.
Also, director general, Kaduna State RUWASSA, Engr Mubarak Shehu Ladan said, studies have shown that effective hand washing with soap or ash prevent diseases to about 45 per cent adding that there is a common adage that prevention is better and cheaper than cure.
He said, the agency has provided many toilet facilities in rural communities as part of efforts to address open defecations in the state. The effort, according to him, has started yielding positive results with Kudan and Jema’a local government areas now declared ODF waiting for validation by the relevant stakeholders by December 2022.
Ladan commended Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai and the donor agencies for their support towards effective service delivery.
The chairman of Kudan local government, Shuaibu Bawa Jaja expressed gratitude to RUWASSA for the provision of water and hygiene facilities promising to continue to support the initiative.
The same exercise was conducted in Chikun local government area with stakeholders emphasizing on proper hand washing as the best way to prevent the spread of diseases.
In Chikun, the director general, RUWASSA represented by director, Finance and Administration, Muhammad Lawal Ali restated the commitment to SDGs target in the area of water supply and sanitation before the year 2025.
