Civil Society Organizations under the Water Sanitation and Hygiene Services (E WASH), have frowned at the poor compliance of Nigerians to hygiene measures and other COVID-19 protocols stressing that the virus is still infectious and deadly.
Project Manager, Society for Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN), Andrew Agboro, decried that the lack of political will, misinformation and lack of synergy among stakeholders are some of the reasons that has given rise to the poor compliance by citizens.
Agboro disclosed this at the launch of the USAID E-WASH CSO COVID-19 prevention campaign organised by the Widows and Orphans Empowerment Organisation (WEWE) on Tuesday.
He noted that since the relaxation of the lockdown measures by the government, citizens no longer believe in the existence of the virus. He however stressed that compliance is key.
Josephine Ogazi Executive Director. Widows and Orphans Empowerment Organisation (WEWE) explained that the USAID E-WASH CSO COVID-19 Prevention Campaign is aimed at providing improved access to accurate information on COVID-19 prevention, addressing the rise in the dissemination of fake news and stigmatization of COVID-19 survivors.
Ogazi, who was represented by Nneka Okereke, Program Director WEWE, added that the goal of the campaign would be achieved by strengthening federal government and E-WASH partner states COVID-19 prevention campaigns and strategies through strategic communication and advocacy; deepening the partnerships with national and local media to increase access to quality information, and leveraging digital technologies to stem the pandemic.
“One of the important measures in stemming the spread of the COVID 19 pandemic is correct hand hygiene practices. Part of WEWE’s activities would be geared towards informing and motivating more frequent and regular hand hygiene practices by drawing on the support of the federal and state ministries on risk communication activities and addressing gaps in risk communication on WASH as it pertains to the spread of COVID prevention in the Federal Capital Territory,” she said.
The National Almirah, Federation of Muslim Women Association (FOMWAN), Halima Jibril, on her part stressed the need to increase awareness on COVID-19 especially at the community level. She noted that community dwellers are still ignorant about the existence of the virus.
She further informed that FOMWAN distributed palliatived to three million people across the country during the pandemic.
