The Coordinator, National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) in Jigawa, Hajiya Aishatu Adamu says regular sanitation will reduce malaria and other related diseases to the nearest minimum.
Adamu stated this at the flag-off of the 2021 Sanitation Exercise, in Dutse on Saturday.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the exercise, themed “Clean Environment/Good Hygiene: Panacea for Good Health and Long Life”, was flagged off at Dutse Ultra Modern Market.
According to her, environmental sanitation has been recognized globally as one of the key requirements for the prevention of disease and their escalation to epidemic proportion.
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She pointed out that efforts must be stepped up to enlighten the general public, particularly rural dwellers.
The coordinator said that the public should be enlightened on the health risks of poor hygiene, with a particular focus on the prevention of contamination of food, water, and the entire environment.
“To achieve this, every member of the community has to be mobilized for participation in this exercise, which will feature sensitization, disease surveillance, and reports of outbreaks.
“Indeed, the call to action will promote cooperation, and reduce indifferences and ignorance.
“A good example of this was seen in the robust response to COVID-19 pandemic, with awareness creation, vigilance, and community policing becoming everyone’s business.
“Therefore, we can no longer afford to be indifferent to anything that will be detrimental to public health and safety,” the coordinator said.
Adamu further stated that the exercise would also focus on regular environmental sanitation on a fortnight basis, clean food and water intake, proper disposal of human and animals waste, and protection of water and food from contamination.
“Also, as environmental protection and environmental sanitation become inseparable for a stable, healthy and sustainable ecosystem, the public will further be educated on the following.
“Decontamination of foods to due to exposure; disinfection of the environment (living rooms, toilets and public spaces including handling of toxic materials.
Also susceptible and risky habits; how best to handle bush burning; pollution and waste disposal, as well as tree planting to support health ecosystem,” Adamu added.
In a remark, the Chairman of the Union of Marketers in the market, Malam Nuhu Hussaini, commended the scheme for selecting the market for the exercise.
Hussaini said the gesture has relieved the association of the task to clear and evacuate heaps of waste generated during the Eid-el-Kabir activities.
Also commenting, the Chairman of Civil Society Forum in the state. Mr Musbahu Basirka commended the scheme for the gesture.
Basirka said the gesture would ensure clean and health environment.
“It will also ginger other self-help groups across the state to clean their respective communities,” Basirka said.
It was reported that the exercise, being done across the 27 local government areas of the state is coming after over 30 persons died and over 2,000 hospitalized as a result of a cholera outbreak in the state.
