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Study: 73% of Abia Residents Drink Faeces-Contaminated Water

…Stresses the importance of hand washing

Published

Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at 02:49 PM

Written by Omotola Adeleke

Study: 73% of Abia Residents Drink Faeces-Contaminated Water

The Water Sanitation and Hygiene Natural Outcome Routine Mapping (WASHNORM) in a recent study indicates that 73% of people in Abia State are consuming water that contains E. coli (from fecal matter), while 2% of the population engages in open defecation practices.

At a seminar in Enugu marking Global Handwashing Day, organized by UNICEF and the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia, Mrs. Rebecca Gabriel, a WASH Specialist at UNICEF, voiced her concerns about the extensive contamination and its effects on public health. She stressed the importance of handwashing with soap and running water as a crucial measure for disease prevention.

The WASHNORM survey, conducted in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and the National Bureau of Statistics, and supported by UNICEF, the World Bank, WHO, and other development partners, underscored the serious health risks associated with consuming contaminated water.

Participants at the event attributed the high rate of water contamination in Abia to the 2% of the population practicing open defecation, which allows fecal matter to enter water sources. Additionally, they pointed to poorly situated boreholes, frequently located near soak-aways and toilets, as a contributing factor to the pollution.

The WASHNORM survey found that only 35% of schools and 30% of healthcare facilities in Nigeria have access to basic handwashing facilities. In public areas such as markets and motor parks, this percentage is even lower, at just 8%.

UNICEF estimates that 167 million people, or 83% of Nigeria's population, do not have access to basic handwashing facilities. The organization highlighted five crucial moments for handwashing: before meal preparation, before and after eating, before breastfeeding, after changing diapers, and after defecating.

Mrs. Maureen Zubie-Okolo, UNICEF’s Officer for Planning and Monitoring, emphasized the significance of hand hygiene during the event. She remarked, “UNICEF is dedicated to promoting hand hygiene in the communities we serve. We believe that by encouraging a culture of handwashing, we can help create a healthier and safer world for everyone.”

UNICEF remains active in supporting national handwashing campaigns and incorporates hand hygiene into health, education, and nutrition programs in over 90 countries. In partnership with WHO, UNICEF also tracks handwashing practices in households, schools, and healthcare facilities worldwide.

Edited By: Chinedu Eze

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Study: 73% of Abia Residents Drink Faeces-Contaminated Water

The Water Sanitation and Hygiene Natural Outcome Routine Mapping (WASHNORM) in a recent study indicates that 73% of people in Abia State are consuming water that contains E. coli (from fecal matter), while 2% of the population engages in open defecation practices.

The WASHNORM survey, conducted in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and the National Bureau of Statistics, and supported by UNICEF, the World Bank, WHO, and other development partners, underscored the serious health risks associated with consuming contaminated water.

The WASHNORM survey found that only 35% of schools and 30% of healthcare facilities in Nigeria have access to basic handwashing facilities. In public areas such as markets and motor parks, this percentage is even lower, at just 8%.

UNICEF remains active in supporting national handwashing campaigns and incorporates hand hygiene into health, education, and nutrition programs in over 90 countries. In partnership with WHO, UNICEF also tracks handwashing practices in households, schools, and healthcare facilities worldwide.

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