NGO flags-off safe water campaign

Community Excellence and Development Initiative, (CEDI), a leading community healthcare giver, has flagged-off safe water sensitization and awareness campaign as solution to preventable diseases.

The NGO, started taking the message to students of schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Wednesday.

According to the Executive Director of CEDI, Mr. Israel Onuvae, the group is partnering with public schools to address rising cases of preventable health issues among school age children.

Tagged “Safe Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, (WASH),’’ the campaign articulates awareness and communication delivery packages to sensitize school children.

The campaign is to make the children to imbibe the value and habit of safe water use and hygiene.

According to Onuvae, the World Health Organization, (WHO), estimates that a significant part of the rising incidence of under-nutrition in children is caused by lack of access to safe water as well as poor sanitary conditioning.

He acknowledged that “access to safe water and sanitation are obligatory human rights issues to which billions of people across the world lack coverage.”

He hinted that experts have attributed 40 per cent of cases of diarrhoea among children to the lack of access to safe water and quality sanitation.

“The campaign supports the efforts of stakeholders especially foreign programme partners, funding agencies, in scaling up access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in schools.

“ CEDI believes that the campaign has the potential to impact the Sustainable Development Goals, (SDGs), especially the SDG 3 and 6 that promote healthy lives and well-being for all ages in addition to ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation.’’

The head teacher of LEA Primary School, Kuchigoro, Mr. Sarki Zachariah, host to the inaugural event, expressed relief at the introduction of the campaign.

He was hopeful that the campaign would “have a positive impact in school attendance as well as improve the health of my students and teachers.”

The CEO of ZAFTA-MED clinic, Salako Medinat, demonstrated for the students and teachers the required daily water and hygiene practices that guarantee health.

The event attracted over 200 participants from the civil society, the FCT educational board as well as family healthcare delivery professionals.