Humanitarian

The Arewa Health Promotion Initiative has carried out an awareness campaign on clean water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) at the Dukawa Primary Health Care Centre in Kura Local Government Area of Kano State, as part of activities marking the 2024 World Toilet Day. Speaking during the sensitisation exercise, the Executive Director of the organisation, Malam Adamu Ahmad Ibrahim, said creating awareness on clean water and proper sanitation practices remains essential in improving public health standards in communities. According to him, many health challenges affecting households are linked to unsafe water, poor food handling, and unhygienic environmental conditions. He said the organisation chose Dukawa ward due to its large population, limited access to healthcare facilities, and shortage of specialised health personnel who can guide residents on preventive health measures. “With this awareness campaign, the people of Dukawa and surrounding communities will become more conscious of the risks associated with contaminated water, poor sanitation, and unsafe food practices,” he said. Read Also: Only 35.5% of Nigerian Newborns Breastfed in First Hour – UNICEF Kano State Council Approves ₦19bn for Roads, Education, Health, and Power Projects Kano Governor Presents N1.368trn Landmark 2026 Budget to Assembly Also speaking, the President of the Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria, Sanitarian Salisu Ubale Ibrahim, emphasised that proper care of toilets and food hygiene plays a significant role in preventing diseases. He advised residents to wash their hands regularly, clean their toilets frequently, wash cooking utensils thoroughly, and ensure that vegetables are properly rinsed before consumption. He further urged households to locate wells at a safe distance from toilets to avoid contamination. “People must understand the need to play their own part. These simple sanitation practices reduce unnecessary visits to healthcare facilities and help improve overall community well-being,” he added. Sanitarian Ibrahim noted that when communities adopt proper sanitation measures, government resources can be diverted to other developmental needs, rather than being spent repeatedly on preventable diseases. “If you abide by the guidance given today, and take personal initiatives to improve the sanitary condition of your environment, water, and the food you eat, your health will be better protected,” he stated. On his part, the Councillor representing Dukawa ward, Malam Abdullahi Isah Yunusa, said residents have embraced the WASH sensitisation campaign, describing it as a timely intervention that will enhance community health. He promised to sustain the momentum through health personnel at the Dukawa Primary Health Care Centre and neighbouring communities of Kunshama I and Kunshama II to ensure long-term impact. An elderly woman in the community, Hajiya Ladi, one of the beneficiaries of the campaign, pledged to relay the message to others who could not attend, saying the initiative would help promote a healthier environment for all. Each of the beneficiaries was given detergents to help them maintain proper toilet hygiene for a period of time. This year’s World Toilet Day, observed globally on November 19, was themed “We’ll Always Need the Toilet,” highlighting the continued need for safe sanitation systems across communities.

Stakeholders in the health sector have met in Kano to address negative attitudes among some health workers that discourage caregivers from bringing children for routine immunisation. The meeting, held under the Better Opportunities for Optimal Services and Targeted Immunization for Zero-Dose and Under-Immunized Children (BOOST) project, brought together professional health associations, Muslim and Christian women’s groups, government officials and development partners to find practical solutions for improving service delivery and rebuilding community trust. The BOOST project, implemented by Save the Children International with funding from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), aims to demonstrate effective and scalable techniques to reduce zero-dose and missed vaccinations among children. The project began full implementation in January 2024 and will run until December 2027. In Kano, BOOST covers Gezawa and Ungogo local government areas. Related: VaxSocial Launches Digital Immunization Campaign in Kano The Project Advocacy Officer, Umar Ibrahim, said the programme will continue to correct system anomalies by applying inputs gathered from health professionals, which will add sustained value to the state’s health outcomes. “We will keep using feedback from frontline workers and professional bodies to improve service quality and coverage,” he said. Co-Chair of the Kano BOOST Project, Malam Salisu Yusuf, said the initiative has recorded significant gains in immunisation coverage, with only three local government areas still facing notable challenges. Yusuf urged government and partners to sustain momentum and establish mechanisms that will preserve project gains after external partners exit. Malam Abdullahi Magama, BOOST Project Manager and Field Manager for Save the Children in Kano, explained that the meeting focused on attitudinal and behavioural change among health staff. “Despite progress, some caregivers remain reluctant to use services because of perceived negligence and poor interpersonal treatment by a few health workers,” he said, noting that trainings and workshops organised by the project have already improved staff performance. Read Also: Only 35.5% of Nigerian Newborns Breastfed in First Hour – UNICEF The gathering included associations of health professionals as well as Muslim and Christian women’s organisations to ensure community perspectives were fully captured. Participants discussed strategies for training, monitoring, and incentivising respectful client-care behaviour. The Speaker of the Kano Children’s Parliament, Hauwa’u Muhammad Ibrahim, called for increased capacity building and better working conditions for health workers, arguing these are essential to address persistent service delivery gaps. She added that the Children’s Parliament will continue community advocacy to encourage uptake of immunisation and other essential health services. Project officials urged the Kano State Government to institutionalise coordination mechanisms that will allow stakeholders to replicate successful interventions and sustain improved immunisation coverage across the state.