As Nigeria joins the world to celebrate the 2022 Global Hand Washing Day, an Independent Sanitation and Hygiene Systems Expert, Kitch Bawa stated the Hand Washing is capable of preventing about 500,000 deaths caused by infectious diseases in Africa.
Bawa disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja noted that hand washing is not just mere hygiene practice but is an investment capable of saving lives.
According to Bawa, there is need to intensify the demand and uptake of the Africa Sanitation Policy Guideline (ASPG) not only for sanitation but also for hygiene to improve hand washing behavior and Menstrual Hygiene and to complement the access to sanitation and improve.
He explained that monitoring of hand washing on the continent must be deepened by ensuring that national efforts are intensified to ensure data access and integrity.
“This will support and improve regional and global monitoring efforts to improve evidence-based policy making”.
Bawa advised that Africa must reduce dependence on aid for improving hand hygiene whilst governments must endeavor to fund hygiene as a critical life-saving action as any of such initiative and leadership is known to attract massive support from non-state actors.
Meanwhile, Bawa noted that climate change is drastically affecting water supply and as such, assess to potable water supply is a pre-requisite for good hand hygiene in which the continent must be intentional about climate-resilient WASH.
“Smart subsidies for hand washing goods targeting people living below the poverty line in fragile, conflict and disaster-prone areas will reduce deaths and cushion the impacts of deepening poverty on many”.
He assured that if implemented alongside other market creating efforts, has the capacity of improving not only direct health benefits but also direct economic returns.
Continuing, Bawa stated that the African Development can work with the AU to establish a fund in this regard either through its Africa Water Facility or through some other approach.
“The African Union can still do more to improve hand hygiene Africa. Improving the synergy between the African Union commission for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment; and the African Union Center for Disease Control (CDC) will give added impetus for the high-level leadership needed to mobilize massive efforts across the continent towards improving policy and governance of hygiene”.
He noted that the theme of this year’s hand washing day is, “Unite for Safety: Clean Your Hands” is a call on all the people of the world to join hands to wash hands for our safety.
Kitch Bawa, Columnist & Independent Sanitation and Hygiene Systems Expert