As part of activities marking the 2019 global hand washing day, the Bauchi state ministry of Water resources through Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) will launch a clean family campaign in 20, 000 households in Kirfi local government area of Bauchi state.
Addressing journalists Monday, the state commissioner of water resources Umar Sanda Adamu said the campaign which is supported by WaterAid Nigeria is meant to improve hygiene behaviors in communities and healthcare facilities in the local government.
” The campaign aims at motivating people towards practicing specific hygiene behaviors, such as hand washing with soap at critical times, use of clean water, use of clean toilets, food hygiene and proper waste management,” he said.
The commissioner revealed that about 3.9 million people in the state have poor access to water, sanitation and hygiene services adding that it has adverse impact on health, education and economic outcomes of the people.
According to Adamu, the campaign is intended to inform the design of the Bauchi state open defecation free roadmap saying the campaign also aligns with the national sanitation campaign aimed at ensuring open defecation free Nigeria by 2025.
He stated that this is the first time hygiene behavior change intervention of this nature will be implemented in the country noting that it was implemented in some countries including Bangladesh, Malawi and Nepal and that the outcome was positive.
