HPRG, MOH TRAIN STAKEHOLDERS ON WASH, URGE THEM TO BE POSITIVE AMBASSADORS
By Grace Onwukwe :
Health Policy Research Group(HPRG), College of Medicine, UNN, Enugu Campus in collaboration with Anambra State Ministry of Health and CHORUS Research has trained State, LGA and Community stakeholders on safe Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) principle and practices, urging them to effect the practices accordingly to improve public health and well-being.
The training, which was held at Peakcastle Hotels, Awka from 18 -20 February, 2025 has community stakeholders and some school teachers from Okpoko, LGA WASH officers from Ogbaru and state WASH officers from various MDAs to include: Ministries of Health, Environment, Information, Education, ASPHCDA, RUWASSA and ASUBEB in attendance.
The lead facilitator of the research group, Dr. Uche Ezenwaka noted that poor access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene cause a lot of challenges to include water-borne, sanitation and hygiene related diseases and infections as well as productivity and economic waste. She stressed that Safe water, sanitation and hygiene are essential necessity for healthy living yet, a lot of households and communities still encounter many challenges in accessing safe WASH.
She pointed out that Okpoko community was targeted for the research because it has been noted to be backward in terms of safe WASH practices. She noted that her team had in 2024 conducted a household survey and the findings showed alarming rates of diarrhea in the community as 52% of children under 5 and 57% of individuals over 5 reported a history of diarrhoea within 30 days. The findings according to her, suggested a strong link between the prevalence of diarrhea and inadequate WASH practices in Okpoko.
Dr. Ezenwaka highlighted WHO report in 2019 which states “access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) is essential for human health and well-being, yet many households lack access to these basic services”.
She reiterated WHO/UNICEF global report on WASH in 2020 thus: “2 billion people lack access to safe managed drinking water, and 3.6 billion lack improved sanitation facilities”.
She further said that World Bank, 2021, NBS and UNICEF 2019, 60Million people in Nigeria lack access to improved/basic drinking water and 80 Million people do not have improved sanitation facilities.
She further added that, World Bank in 2021 noted that 167 Million Nigerians can not access basic hand washing facilities.
The training was therefore organized to build the capacity of stakeholders on WASH, principles, technologies and best practices in order to address the challenges.
Other objectives of the training include: to enhance participants understanding of WASH preventing diseases and promoting public health; to develop participants’ skills in designing, implementing and sustaining WASH interventions in real world settings and to foster a culture of sustainability and maintenance in WASH programming.
Dr Ezenwaka added that with the knowledge acquired, participants are expected to design as well as implement effective and sustainable WASH programs that would help in preventing diseases and promoting public health in their various communities, schools and locations or levels.
On behalf of the Coordinator, HPRG, UNEC, Enugu, Prof. Obinna Onwujekwe, Dr Ezenwaka commended participants for their active engagement, calling on stakeholders from Okpoko to conduct community sensitization for WASH Health Education including Behavioural Change Communication. She urged state and LGA teams to support Okpoko and other semi urban communities, stressing the need for the replication of the sensitization and implementation of safe WASH practices in other communities and LGAs of the state.
She also enjoined schools to establish school WASH clubs and organize quizzes, dramas and other enlightenment programs, adding that HPRG with some state stakeholders will monitor and evaluate successes of the programs in March.
In her opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Anambra State Ministry of Health (MoH), Pharm (Dr) Oby Uchebo noted that prevention of a disease is better than its cure.
She enjoined the participants to be good ambassadors of WASH in their various households, communities, schools, work places and other areas of concern, stressing that when they lead by showing good examples, others will see meaning in what they teach as well as key into the safe practices.
The Program Manager WASH, MoH, Dr Rose Amasiani facilitated effective Hand washing to the participants which is “cheap, safe and do it yourself practice” that prevents feacoral disease transmission through improper hand washing.
The intensive training covered various topics to include: Introduction to WASH, WASH Program Planning and Implementation, WASH Financing and Resource Mobilization, WASH in Emergencies; Safe Water Supply Management, Water Storage and Handling, Water Contamination and Risks, Water-borne Diseases and their prevention, Water Treatment methods; Introduction to Sanitation, Sanitation Systems and Technologies, Fecal waste Management, Eradication of Open Defecation, Solid Waste Management, Sanitation- Related Diseases, Sanitation Promotion; Introduction to Hygiene, Hygiene and Diseases Prevention, Hygiene Promotion and Behaviour Change Communication, Hand and Personal Hygiene, Oral Hygiene, Foot Hygiene, Respiratory Hygiene, Menstrual Hygiene, Food Hygiene, Waste Disposal Hygiene, Environmental Hygiene.
Other facilitators from HPRG include: Dr Chinyere Okeke, Dr. Kene Ikeako, Joseph Nwankwor, Wilson Anyanebechi, Mystery Orjiako.
Facilitators from State and LGA include: Dr. Afam Anaeme, Dr. Rose Amasiani, Mrs Uju Onwuegbuzina and Mrs Esther Ndefo.
Schools that were represented are Unity Comprehensive High School, Okpoko, Faith Model Schools, St. Michael Model Schools and Assemblies of God Schools, Okpoko.
Pre/post tests, evaluation of the training and distribution of IEC materials to schools, community and LGA stakeholders formed part of the training.
*Grace is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State*