The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that regular hand washing and personal hygiene have prevented the outbreaks of cholera and other diseases in Borno. According to WHO, hand washing and personal hygiene are preventive measures against infections; including the current COVID-19 pandemic that claimed over three million lives globally. While announcing non-outbreak of cholera Wednesday; to mark 2021 World Hand Washing Day at Teachers Village IDP camp, Maiduguri, the Health Operation Manager of WHO for Emergency Response in Northeast, Dr. Isaac Boateng disclosed: “The hand washing enlightenment campaigns in IDPs across the state are to prevent infections of diseases like cholera.” He said that the measure by WHO Community Health Champions and other partners is to commemorate this year’s World Hand Hygiene Day. He noted that IDPs being more vulnerable needed such intervention to help them take preventive measures against infection including the current COVID-19 pandemic. “We had been coordinating such health responses over the years in the state which has been yielding positive results,” he said, stating that last year no cholera outbreak was reported in Borno. Continuing, he added: “Last year the good news is that we didn’t have cholera cases. “This year we are hoping for same with improved hygiene in camps and host communities.” While speaking to health workers at a primary health centre in Maiduguri, the Borno Coordinator of WHO, Dr. Isiaka Ayodeji, said hand hygiene is also very central to health workers. He said that the health workers are more susceptible to diseases from patients. He therefore assured the Borno state government of WHO’s sustained support in the healthcare delivery sector. While speaking yesterday on behalf of the Borno State Commissioner of Health, the Director, Public Health, Dr. Lawi Mshelia, said government with support of global health agency and other stakeholders is doing its best. According to him, the support was to ensure hand washing as an effective means to reduce the spread of pathogens and prevent infections, including COVID-19
