Don’t stop washing your hands, medic tells Nigerians

The Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Prof. Olufemi Fasanmade, has advised Nigerians to adopt hand washing as a strategy towards reducing the incidence of infectious diseases in the country.

Fasanmade made this recommendation at the inauguration of ‘Clean Naija’ and Dettol Surface Cleaner by Reckitt Benckiser at LUTH in Lagos on Friday.

He said that although Nigeria had been declared Ebola-free, hand washing and personal hygiene were effective in preventing the spread of other deadly communicable diseases, such as diarrhoea and pneumonia.

He said, “Many people have stopped washing their hands after Nigeria was declared Ebola-free. Hand washing should be a continuous exercise to avoid the spread of germs among children who are not always cautious.

“We want to encourage our patients, doctors and nurses to cultivate the habit to reduce mortality and morbidity from infections and communicable diseases within the hospital setting.”

Also speaking at the event, the Marketing Manager, RB, Mr. Oguzhan Silivrili , said the organisation had begun a germ-free campaign, tagged ‘Clean Naija”, to promote the culture of hand washing among Nigerians.

According to him, the initiative will be inaugurated in all the states of the federation over the next few months and they will be working with health professionals, schools and parents to promote personal and environmental hygiene in Nigeria.

Silivrili said, “Hand washing and environmental hygiene are strategies that have proved to reduce the incidence of diseases. It is also cheaper compared to the cost of treatment which most Nigerians cannot afford.”

PUNCH.