By Frank Momoh
The Minister of Environment, Barr. Mohammed Abdullahi, on Tuesday said poor sanitation has been identified as being responsible for a significant percentage of preventable communicable diseases particularly in developing countries including Nigeria
Addressing stakeholders on the day set aside to mark the day, he said the National Environmental Sanitation Day is a national advocacy day dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding on the importance of sanitation and hygiene as an effective and affordable way to prevent diseases, save lives and ensure effective and quality sanitation delivery services as well as meeting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3 and 6 by 2030.
According to him, this year’s theme: Clean Environment is a Healthy Environment: Get Involved could not be more apt and timely considering the critical role sanitation and hygiene play in preventing and controlling the spread of infectious diseases such as Cholera, Typhoid fever, Lassa Fever, COVID-19 virus, Monkey pox virus.
He said the day is also a clarion call for every one of us to work together and leverage lessons learned from response to COVID-19 to address the neglect of Sanitation and hygiene as a major means of preventing disease transmission.
Abdullahi, said the National Environmental sanitation Day Commemoration was established by Mr. President Muhammadu Buhari in 2005 at the launch of the National Environmental Sanitation Policy document and its’ guidelines to be commemorated on 28th June annually.
Since then, he said the Ministry in collaboration with stakeholders has been celebrating the day to mark the importance of sanitation and hygiene as a veritable tool for disease prevention and control.
The Minister acknowledged that large number of children die every year due to sanitation and hygiene enabled diseases. In Nigeria, more than 3.5 million children suffer from diarrheal diseases and this is not a small figure. Children, who are less than 5years old, are more prone to such diseases.
This is because for every N100 spent improving sanitation and hygiene, between N300 and N400 is saved which can be invested in health, education, social and economic development.
“Therefore, I want to use this opportunity to call on Nigerians especially those in places of authority (public or private) to ensure adequate provision for Sanitation and Hygiene.
“he advent of emerging and re-emerging diseases such as COVID-19, Lassa Fever, Monkey, Cholera e.t.c in Nigeria has further underscored the fact that access to Sanitation and Hygiene is not only a fundamental human right that safeguards public health and human dignity but also an essential need when it comes to disease prevention.
“This year’s National Environmental Sanitation Day therefore calls on individuals, communities, government at all levels e.t.c to be involved in the planning and implementation of sanitation and hygiene activity within their immediate environment and community.” The Minister, said.
In the effort to promote Clean and Safe Environment, he added that the Ministry with other Stakeholders has validated the National Environmental Sanitation Policy of 2005 and its guidelines on Pest and Vector Control, School Sanitation, Market and Abattoir Sanitation, Sanitary Inspection of Premises, Solid Waste Management and Safe excreta and sewage disposal: construction of public toilets in public places (Schools, markets).
Recently, the Ministry, he said initiated a programme tagged “Clean and Green” and one of its major aims is to advocate for clean environment, adding that the Ministry has been carrying out sanitary inspection of all Federal Government establishments, including Federal Government Schools, Ministries, Parastatals, Agencies Military and Paramilitary Barracks, Public places such as Petrol Stations, Abattoirs, Motor Park, Markets and regulated food premises such as hotels and eateries.
The Mimister said: “Fnally, let me reiterate that the National Environmental Sanitation Day is more than just a day; Sanitation and hygiene should become an integral part of our everyday life. I therefore urge all media organizations to join the Federal Ministry of Environment and other stakeholders as partners in progress in propagating Sanitation and hygiene practices to the general public, children, families, communities, associations etc. as one of the measures to reduce the country’s disease burden.”
