The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has identified Bauchi as a leading state in the implementation of Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)-related interventions in Nigeria.
UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office, Bauchi, Mr Tushar Rane, stated this on Friday at a news conference organised to commemorate the 2021 Global Hand Washing Day (GHWD), in Bauchi.
The theme for this year is: ‘Our Future is at Hand; Let’s Move Forward Together’.
Rene, represented by Mr Amose Kudzala, UNICEF’s WASH Specialist, said that six local government areas of the state had attained the Open Defecation Free (ODF) status.
“Bauchi is a leading state in the implementation of WASH related interventions in Nigeria.
“Dass and Warji, are one of the first to attain and sustain ODF status while four other LGAs have achieved similar feat,” he said.
He listed the councils to include Toro, Bauchi, Katagum and Zaki, adding that they needed the state government support to achieve similar results before the end of the year.
According to him, the UN agency will continue to work with the state government, development partners and other organisations to ensure the fulfillment of the rights of children and women.
In his remarks, Alhaji Ahmad Jalam, the state Commissioner for Water Resources, said the state government had prioritised WASH in its policy.
Jalam said that the state had recorded significant progress in enhancing access to safe water supply and sanitation.
He, however, said that lack of toilets and handwashing facilities in homes and schools were negatively affecting the gains made in public health.
“Disparities in public health status and wellbeing is very clear between the over 6,000 ODF communities in the state, especially in Dass, Warji, Gamawa, Bogoro, Shira and Ganjuwa that are LGA-Wide ODF.
“To save lives and reduce the spread of preventable diseases, it is vital that we combine our expertise in technology and communication to raise awareness, promote safe sanitation and hygiene practices.
“Such practices include construction, usage and management of toilets in communities and handwashing with soap, under clean running water before we eat and after going to toilets among others, so as to support the government’s efforts at improving public health,” he said.
The Commissioner stressed the need for collective efforts to support government’s drive towards achieving ODF in communities across the state.
This, he said, is critical towards reducing the burden of WASH related diseases, improve health status, wellbeing and productivity of the people.
Also speaking, Mr Garba Magaji, Permanent Secretary, Bauchi State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), said that hand washing practices played vital role to stem spread of COVID-19 pandemic globally.
He added that a lot of diseases could be prevented through hand washing with clean water and soap.
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