LIBERIA: Lawmaker Calls for Hand washing to be prioritized
Participants at the indoor Program marking Global Handwashing Day 2015 in Margibi County
..As LWI Decentralizes Global Handwashing Day Celebration – By: WASH R&E “Media” Network – A Lawmaker of the 53rd National Legislature of the Republic of Liberia has made a passionate plea for the issue of hand washing to be prioritized across the Country.
Margibi County Representative, Emmanuel Nuquay wants all Liberians and foreign residents prioritize hand washing as it is one of the surest ways they can prevent the spread of common communicable germs and diseases.
Representative Nuquay described as important the crucial role of hand washing in the prevention of diseases.
“Let all people in every sector of our society give more attention to hand washing beginning in the various homes among parents and children, community dwellers, at work places and learning institutions”, the Margibi County Lawmaker noted.
Margibi County Representative, Emmanuel Nuquay serving as Key-note speaker at Global Handwashing Day celebration in Margibi County
Representative Nuquay spoke recently when he served as Keynote Speaker at activities marking Global Hand Washing Day, October 15 held in Weala, Cinta Township, Margibi County.
The elaborate program held outside Monrovia was organized by Living Water International (LWI-Liberia), the Liberian Government, Save the Children, European Union (EU), the World Health Organization (WHO) and Equip Liberia.
He said if Global Hand Washing Day celebration will be successful in the coming years in Liberia, the government and stakeholders as well as local and international NGOs in the WASH sector must ensure that the people have access not to just any water, but available and affordable safe drinking water.
Living Water International-Liberia’s Operations Manager, Kolu Jallah
The Margibi County Lawmaker said constant hand washing will dramatically reduce running stomach and diarrhea which count for many deaths around the world including Liberia, especially children.
Representative Nuquay told the gathering comprising mainly of students that hand washing involved five simple and effective steps which include wetting, applying of cleansing substance, scrubbing, rinsing and drying.
According to him, in order to ensure that these five simple but effective steps are carried out effectively, there must be access to safe water.
He emphasized, hand washing is the win for every one because germs and other communicable diseases are easily spread through the hands.
Global Handwashing Day Parade in Margibi County
Representative Nuquay noted that as Liberians joined other countries to observe Global Hand Washing Day under the theme: “Raise a Hand for Hygiene”, let them raise their hands as advocates for good hygiene practices.
H also called on them to raise their hands to show that majority of the population still lack access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities .
“Let them raise their hands to ensure stakeholders are held accountable to improve hygiene for all and let them raise their hands for improve hygiene practice in all schools as well”, the Margibi Lawmaker concluded.
Also speaking, Living Water International-Liberia’s Operations Manager, Kolu Jallah, said the entity remains committed to collaborate with local and international NGOs, focusing on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) to ensure hand washing becomes a traditional for Liberians.
According to Ms. Jallah, Living Water International-Liberia is overwhelmed to see students demonstrating and performing the act of proper hand washing, which suggests that the massage of hand washing is going across gradually.
Global Handwashing Day Group photo of LWI Staff and students in Margibi County
She said one of the effective tools that Liberians used during the outbreak of the Ebola virus to have the virus contained and to defeat it, was through proper and constant hand washing, stressing that hand washing is vital to all to ensure a healthy country and people.
Activities marking this year’s Global Hand Washing Day was celebrated in Liberia with the decentralization of events. The Day which was observed on Thursday, October 15, 2015 brought together partners and friend of the WASH sector, including residents of Weala, Cinta Township, Margibi County.
Global Hand Washing Day is an annual event celebrated worldwide, but this time around as the day is usually celebrated in Monrovia, it was extended to rural Liberia.
Demonstration of hand washing by a little female student
This year’s celebration of Global Hand Washing Day was held under the theme: “Raise a Hand for Hygiene”, with a national slogan: “Good Health is Wholeness”.
The United Nations set aside October 15 in 2008 to be observed as Global Handwashing Day by member States around the world after mobilizing 120 million children in 73 countries across five continents of the world to wash their hands with soap.
According to a recent United Nations statistics, every year 1.7 million children do not live to celebrate their fifth birthday due to diarrhea which can be easily prevented by hand washing.
