Group launches WASH club in Anambra schools to combat disease outbreaks

The Health Policy Research Group (HPRG) has emphasized the importance of establishing Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) clubs in schools to prevent disease outbreaks and improve public health outcomes.

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Dr. Uche Ezenwaka, Principal Investigator of the HPRG WASH Project, made this assertion during the inauguration of WASH clubs in public schools in Okpoko community, Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.

She noted that the WASH project, a collaborative effort between HPRG at the University of Nigeria, Anambra State Ministry of Health, and Chorus Research on Urban Health, aims to create lifelong advocates for good hygiene practices in families and communities, starting with the youth.

“A study conducted in 2024 in Okpoko community, a notorious slum in the Southeast, revealed concerning gaps in safe WASH practices, leading to high rates of waterborne diseases such as diarrhea.

“We recognised urban slums as major contributors to the challenges of WASH. This was why we started carrying out intervention such as training sanitation officers, teachers and community leaders.

“We had awareness campaign and set up public borehole safeguarding, maintenance and protection committee to protect public boreholes from vandalisation, safeguard water quality and reduce health risks.

“Today, we are inaugurating WASH club in schools to catch them young. Students will learn proper hand washing techniques, personal and environmental hygiene.

“Instilling these healthy habits early, can create a ripple effect, leading to healthier students, communities as well as a decline in preventable diseases,” she said.

Ezenwaka urged the teachers and students to utilise the knowledge to protect their health and serve as hygiene ambassadors in their households and neighborhoods.

During the event, Mrs Chidinma Nwankwo, who represented the Post Primary School Service Commission in Anambra State, made an announcement regarding the mandatory implementation of WASH clubs in schools throughout the state. Mrs Nwankwo expressed appreciation for the initiatives of the Healthy Practices Research Group (HPRG) in promoting safe water, sanitation, and hygiene practices to combat waterborne diseases and public health issues in the Okpoko community.

She noted that these efforts align with Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s vision for urban renewal and a healthier, more sustainable Anambra. In addition, Mrs Goodness Iyiegbu, representing the teachers of Faith Model Schools in Okpoko, emphasized their dedication to prioritizing safe WASH practices within their educational institutions to create a healthy learning environment.

“We are confident that by encouraging improved hygiene practices, we can reduce student absenteeism due to illness and ensure regular school attendance,” Mrs Iyiegbu stated.

The schools represented at the event included Unity Comprehensive High School, Faith Model Schools, St. Michael Model Schools, and Assemblies of God Schools in Okpoko.