UNICEF trainees in Anambra say most schools don't have adequate toilet facilities-----set to establish Health clubs in Anambra schools

www.odogwublog.com reports that the United Nations children fund (UNICEF) in conjunction with Anambra State Government is set to establish Environmental Health Clubs (EHC) in public primary schools in some schools in Anambra state starting from Idemmili South and Nnewi North Council Areas.

The State Hygiene Officer, Dr. Mrs. Rose Amasiani revealed this recently during the ongoing train the trainers workshop at the Idemmili South Local Government Council headquarters, Ojoto saying that the establishment of EHC in primary schools was essential for pupils to imbibe and practice basic healthy hygiene practices.

She said that the training which commenced on Monday 15th January will last till 24th January adding that all the public primary schools in Idemmili South L.G.A and Nnewi North L.G.A have been grouped into four batches for effective learning.

“UNICEF through Rural Water Supply And Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) and Water Sanitation And Hygienic (WASH) are here to train teachers, education officers ,L.G.A wash officers and community volunteers for sustained School Sanitation And Hygienic Education (SSHE). We are here to build the capacity of the teachers to know how to carryout child to child (CtoC) approach in imparting the basic health and environmental hygiene practices in children. This knowledge will help to curb the spread of water and hygiene related diseases like Cholera, dysentery, typhoid, malaria, guinea worm, hook, round and tape worm etc. which constitute over 70 percent of cause of death of children between 0-5 years in developing countries”, said Amasiani.

“We are here to draw action plans on how to use this knowledge gotten in 2days and establish EHC in schools; To build teachers capacity on how to carryout basic health and environmental hygiene in schools. The pupils which would be about 20 in each school would be referred to as Ambassadors of WASH”, she said.

Moreover, the Unicef consultant of WASH, Mr. Clement Chigbo while addressing the trainees said that the schools were very important to UNICEF because children were fast learners from their teachers, urging them to cooperate with their Head Teachers in order to procure basic facilities that would enable the practice of basic good health and environmental hygiene in the schools.

During an interactive session after the group discussions, the trainees notified the UNICEF officials that most schools does not have adequate toilet facilities commensurate to the teaming population in the schools; that the schools have no access to adequate water supply hence, the need to sink boreholes; that there are no sufficient hand washing facilities within the communities.

    The trainees were taught the importance of hand washing at critical times such as, after visiting the toilet, before eating anything and as soon as they come back to their houses. They were also told to spread the good news of warning the people on the dangers of open defecation.

Moreso, they were taught to ensure that all the environment of the school premises were kept clean always including the toilet facilities.