COVID-19: NGO sensitises rural communities on handwashing

Water Corridor International (WCI), a non-governmental organisation, has commenced sensitisation of rural communities in Ogun and Ondo states on the practice of handwashing. 

The organisation said the move is part of efforts to see to the control and end of COVID-19 in Nigeria.

In a statement, Olumide Omolade, coordinator of the project, said “the case for clean water as a major element in promoting the hygienic habit and flattening the curve of the global pandemic had become expedient”.

He explained that enlightenment on the use of clean water would help curtail the spread of the virus in those communities.

“Access to good freshwater quality, especially in the rural communities, will help curtail the virus in no small measure,” Omolade said.

“We had engaged in some exercises in Ondo state last November on the promotion of need for rural stakeholders to maintain good freshwater quality by observing hygienic practices that would not compromise quality of the water.”

According to the Omolade, the NGO had focused on awareness campaign against open defecation, indiscriminate waste disposal, pollution from abbatoir, landfill, waste oil, sewage, land reclamation and chemicals, including plastics deteriorating the freshwater quality with assessments, during the previous campaign.

“Exigency demands that we design new messages for the COVID-19 campaign which has taken us to 16 communities between Ogun and Ondo states. We are in a challenging period and we believe enlightenment on the use of clean water can help assure that the vulnerable members of the society do not add to the numbers the world is currently battling to save,” he said.

The team, however, regretted that the shutdown in states across Nigeria had curtailed its operations.

“We are doing our best as we see impact of the awareness and we hope we can reach more communities as the government looks to shut down more cities in coming days,” he said.