OSOGBO – The Elerinmo of Erinmo-Ijesha in Osun, Oba Michael Ajayi, on Friday urged Nigerians not to reduce the renewed campaign on hand washing to mere media hype.
Experts have called for sustained hand washing with soap and water to check the spread of the ravaging Ebola Virus Disease.
The monarch, however, told NAN in Osogbo that many policies and programmes fail because the sensitisation campaigns were often restricted to the media.
“ It is important that we all accept policies that are of benefit to us wholeheartedly without deceiving ourselves.
‘’The campaign on hand washing is not new in Nigeria; it is unfortunate that a deadly disease like Ebola is responsible for the new re-awakening.
‘’ Hand washing has always been a major component of community-led total hygiene as well as the very basis of personal hygiene.
‘’Like tree planting, many of us only remember the campaign to plant trees on the day set aside by organised bodies; meanwhile, it should be part of our daily lives.
‘’With the outbreak of this deadly virus, it is high time we all gave more attention to our personal hygiene.
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“ A clean hand and a clean environment are worth more than any set of medication,’’ Ajayi said.
According to the monarch, the hand washing campaign should now be the responsibility of traditional rulers, religious leaders as well as other critical stakeholders in community mobilisation efforts.
‘’ We have to understand that our healthy status or otherwise is in our hands and we must not toy with keeping the hands clean.
‘’As simple and easy as it is to wash the hands, it goes a long way in promoting healthy living,’’ Ajayi said.
The traditional ruler said he was already leading the campaign in sensitising the residents of his domain on the values of handwashing and the need to report any strange ailment to the appropriate authorities.
“ As a traditional ruler, I must not be found wanting in the discharge of this duty, ‘’ he said. (NAN)
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