Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) : Monarch Counsels On Hand Washing Campaign

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. The that experts have called for sustained hand washing with soap and water to check the spread of the ravaging Ebola Virus Disease. The monarch, however, said 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. “ 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