Environmental Health Officers across Ikeja, Ojodu, and Ikorodu North Local Government Areas have undergone a two-day capacity-building training on hygiene behavioural change to strengthen disease prevention efforts in communities.
The training, held in Ikeja, focused on promoting key hygiene practices essential for reducing the transmission of preventable diseases.
It was facilitated by WaterAid Nigeria with support from DP World under the Advanced Inclusive Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (AI-WASH) project for rural communities in Lagos State.
Addressing participants, WaterAid Nigeria’s WASH Manager, Mr. Dare Oduluyi, noted that the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical role of simple hygiene practices in public health.
He emphasized that regular handwashing alone can reduce disease transmission by over 48 percent and urged participants to cascade the knowledge across communities to encourage consistent hygiene practices.
He outlined six key hygiene behaviours promoted under the initiative:
Regular hand washing with soap under running water at critical times
*Drinking safe water
*Proper toilet use and cleanliness
*Food hygiene
*Menstrual hygiene
*Proper waste disposal
According to him, the objective is to equip Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) to serve as master trainers capable of conducting step-down sessions in communities, schools, public spaces, and healthcare facilities.
On safeguarding, Mrs. Grace Uwadiale reaffirmed WaterAid Nigeria’s commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults in all project locations.
She encouraged participants to act as safeguarding champions, stressing the importance of reporting any form of harassment or abuse to ensure accountability and justice.
Participants commended the initiative, describing it as timely and impactful.
They pledged to apply the knowledge gained to strengthen hygiene advocacy and curb preventable diseases across their respective council areas.
The training featured interactive sessions, including educational games such as “Suwe” and “Snakes and Ladders,” as well as practical demonstrations using the slogan “Clean Family, Happy Family.”
The sessions were supervised by officials from the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources to ensure alignment with state sanitation objectives.
Written by Yemisi Dada