Agency Begins Grassroots Campaign Against Water-Borne Diseases

Nasarawa State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency has taken the campaign against water-borne diseases to rural communities to sensitise the people on its danger, an official said.
Mr Mohammed Aminu-Agbo, the General Manager of the agency, said this at a  sensitisation campaign organised in Wamba Local Government Area of the state.
Aminu-Agbo said the agency decided to take the campaign to rural communities in the state in order to re-orient the people at the grassroots.
He said that water-borne diseases such as cholera, among others, could only be prevented through maintaining personal and public hygiene.
He charged the general public to imbibe good sanitary habit in order to prevent the spread of the diseases in the state.
The general manager said that the agency had decided to intensify the campaign against water-borne diseases particularly in the rural areas following the outbreak of cholera in some parts of the state in January 2014.
He said the effort was in line with the state government’s commitment to improve the health of its people and ensure that no new outbreak was recorded in future.
“The awareness campaign to rural communities is part of the new strategies adopted by the agency to educate the vulnerable in the state on the dangers of the disease.
“The essence of the campaign is to create awareness among the general public on how those diseases can be avoided, so as to prevent further outbreak.”
He advised the public to desist from open defecation, keep their water sources clean, always wash their hands before and after eating or after using the toilet.
Aminu-Agbo also urged the people to always wash vegetables properly before eating, to avoid infection while ensuring good health.
Highlight of the programme was the demonstration of washing of hands and vegetables by the general manager of the agency.