The Lagos State Government organized a campaign on the value of handwashing for students in the State’s primary schools on Tuesday to coincide with the celebration of Global Handwashing Day.
At the occasion conducted at St. Peter’s Anglican Nursery/Primary School in Ikeja, Engr. Olalekan Shodeinde, Permanent Secretary Office of Drainage Services, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, challenged pupils to become agents of environmental change.
According to him, the campaign’s goal is to raise awareness of the need for collaboration between individuals at all levels in order to influence behavioral change in all children.
“We think that in order to capture children early, the understanding and culture of handwashing should begin at a young age. You are urged to practice and constantly remember this act, as well as to bring it up with your parents and the rest of your community, he stated.
Shodeinde went on to say that the celebration of the year 2022 serves as a crucial reminder for Lagosians in particular, highlighting the fact that the State Government has taken the lead in raising public awareness and organizing campaigns to encourage hand washing in order to stop the spread of disease among locals.
He emphasized that handwashing is the most efficient way to stop the transmission of illness and keep it at bay, adding that it is a little action that has big benefits for our safety and health.
The Permanent Secretary underlined that it is also one of the fundamental pillars of COVID-19 prevention, stressing the need of teaching kids to wash their hands often, particularly after playing, coughing, sneezing, using the restroom, before using the bathroom and after handling animals.
“Regular hand washing with soap and water after touching common objects, such as doorknobs or handles, will keep one and people around safe,” he noted.
He said that the 15th of October was set aside each year to promote understanding of the value of handwashing for healthy lives.
In her paper presentation titled “Unite For Universal Hand Hygiene,” the guest speaker, Engr. (Mrs.) Sanni-Anibire, Project Director for Community WASH Initiatives, stressed the need of teaching children to wash their hands often to avoid spreading germs and unneeded illness.
She instructed the kids on how to wash their hands in a clean, sanitary way using simple methods.
Mr. Amusan Oluwatobi, assistant health officer for the LagosState Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB), also showed the pupils how to properly wash their hands and advised them to do so on a regular basis at all times.
However, he pushed them to act as change agents by spreading the campaign among their friends, family, and whole neighborhood.