As community transmission of the Coronavirus continue to rises and lockdown measures are eased in the country, WaterAid Nigeria has warned that clean water, decent sanitation facilities and good hygiene practices form the crucial bedrock of public health and without them, Nigeria cannot hope to end the coronavirus pandemic or avert future disease outbreaks.
This is even as it calls on donors, bilateral and multilateral donor agencies and the private sector to provide rapid, flexible funding and technical assistance to government-led efforts to promote good hygiene behaviour and build water, sanitation and hygiene systems that will support immediate emergency interventions around COVID-19.
The Organisation gave the warning on Friday, during a virtual press conference with journalists, saying there is need now more than even for partnerships, collaboration and urgent collective action to build resilient water, sanitation and hygiene systems, to control and overcome COVID-19, prevent the next pandemic, and build sustainable, resilient services that can deliver health and dignity for all.
Speaking during the briefing, WaterAid Country Director, Evelyn Mere, said the importance and effectiveness of frequent and thorough handwashing with soap and water to halt the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases are well known; 60 million people are without access to basic water supply and 150 million without access to handwashing facilities with soap and water.
