By Solomon Gumah
Tamale, Oct. 30, GNA – Mr Ali Adolf John, Northern Regional Minister has called for strong collaboration among stakeholders to promote sustainable hand hygiene practices to help prevent diseases and improve public health outcomes.
He said handwashing with soap and clean water remained one of the simplest yet most effective public health interventions, saving millions of lives globally every year.
Mr John made the call when he addressed pupils, teachers, and stakeholders at the commemoration of the Global Hand Hygiene Day at the Sakasaka Primary School in Tamale on the theme: “It Might Be Gloves.”
The event, organised by the Environmental Health and Sanitation Unit of the Northern Regional Coordinating Council in partnership with Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Tamale Metropolitan Assembly, and the Tamale Metropolitan Directorate of Education, brought together development partners, school children, and civil society groups to highlight the importance of proper handwashing and sanitation.
It also provided the platform where pupils and other participants demonstrated through drama the importance of hand washing and its overall implications on their health and wellbeing.
Mr John said “Hand washing with soap and clean water is one of the simplest yet most powerful practices that protect our lives. It is a cost-effective way to prevent diseases, and its impact cannot be overemphasised.”
He commended organisations such as UNICEF, the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA), and CRS for their contributions to improving hand hygiene in Ghana through awareness creation and facility provision.
He urged District Assemblies, civil society organisations, and the private sector to intensify efforts in promoting hygiene initiatives including constructing handwashing stations in public spaces and ensuring constant availability of soap and water.
Mr Festus Fofie, WASH Programme Director for CRS Ghana, who spoke on the theme for the commemoration, said it underscored the shared responsibility of individuals and communities in promoting hygiene as a daily habit.
Citing data from the UNICEF/WHO Joint Monitoring Programme (2023), Mr Fofie said that only 54 per cent of schools and 57% of health care facilities in Ghana had access to basic hygiene facilities while 55% of households had limited or no hygiene facilities.
He said CRS, through its Enhancing Access to Safely Managed Sanitation (SafeWASH) Project, had been working closely with regional and metropolitan authorities to improve hygiene and sanitation in schools and health facilities within the Tamale Metropolis.
He urged all stakeholders to “be handwashing heroes” by championing hygiene practices in schools, homes, and workplaces.
GNA
Edited by Eric K. Amoh/Linda Asante Agyei