Determined to achieve a cleaner and healthier Nigeria, Reckitt Nigeria, makers of Dettol and Harpic, has renewed its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources on the ‘Clean Naija Initiative’.
With the MoU, the company will invest in reducing diarrhea-related child mortality in Nigeria in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of 2030, by curbing the open defecation menace, and Malaria related deaths in Nigeria.
Akbar Ali Shah, general manager, Reckitt sub-Saharan Africa, said that reports placed Nigeria among the top nations that bear a significant portion of the global disease burden and high under-5 mortality rates.
According to him, recent reports have estimated that about 46 million Nigerians still defecate in the open.
He said that diseases such as diarrhea can be preventable by practicing proper hand washing habits and wide-scale hygiene education.
“Through Dettol brand, Reckitt Nigeria has initiated hygiene educational programmes such as School Hygiene and New Mum’s Programme that enable the brand to educate millions of children, and mothers on proper hand hygiene habits,” Shah said.
Read also: It is cost-effective to prevent malaria says Reckitt marketing director
It also introduced a structured hygiene curriculum aimed at educating children aged between 6-8 years on hygiene and change behaviours.
Suleiman Hussein Adamu, minister of Water Resources, said the report of the 2022 WASHNORM survey indicated that the country still has a lot to do towards meeting the Sustainable Development Goal for Water and Sanitation, with access to basic water, sanitation, and hygiene services estimated at 67, 46, and 17 percent respectively as at 2021.
Adamu said that Nigeria will continue to drive the enabling environment for private sector players to contribute and invest across the water, sanitation, and hygiene value chain which can make significant contributions to the nation’s economic indices.
Didi Walson-Jack, permanent secretary, the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, said the MoU signing is a demonstration of the ministry’s continued commitment to improving sanitation in Nigeria.
“We have high expectations that this partnership will continue to contribute significantly to improving sanitation and hygiene services, behaviour, and practices in Nigeria with the attendant benefits on health, productivity, education, and economy, among other benefits,” she added.
