Health

UNICEF Hails Osun Communities for Halting Tropical Diseases, Pledges Continued Support

By Web News 423

By Mojisola Oladele

The UNICEF Country Representative for Nigeria, Ms Wafaa Saeed, has reiterated the critical need for sustainable hygiene practices to prevent disease outbreaks in Osun State communities.

Ms. Saeed made the declaration during a town hall meeting with U.S. National Committee (U.S. NATCOM) donors, as part of a field visit to Olode and Faji communities in Ife South and Odo Otin Local Government Areas.

The visit aimed to observe the impact of Mectizan and Albendazole tablets, provided free by UNICEF, to treat and prevent Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) like Onchocerciasis and Lymphatic Filariasis.

Ms. Saeed emphasized that maintaining regular hand washing and using improved toilet facilities is imperative for public health.

“I have been encouraged because we have been in this community in Faji, a community that is one of the first to have managed to interrupt the transmission of Neglected Tropical Diseases like Onchocerciasis and Lymphatic Filariasis,” Ms Saeed told journalists.

She praised the collaboration between local health workers and communities and pledged UNICEF’s continued support to improve the well-being of women, children, and local economies.

Echoing her sentiments, the President and CEO of UNICEF USA, Mr. Michael Nyenhuis, stated that the team was spurred by the progress in Osun State and would seek more donor support.

“It has been so exciting to be in these communities. From the United States, we help support this work by engaging the donors who support the supply of medicines and also funding to make some of this work possible. It was great to actually see the success the communities have made in combating some of the tropical diseases,” Mr. Nyenhuis explained.

The Afaji of Faji, Oba Moshood Olawale, commended the donors for interventions that included borehole construction and the provision of medicine.

In separate interviews, the General Manager of Osun State RUWESA, Mrs. Ibidun Odelola, and the Founder of AMEN Healthcare Foundation, Chief Rita Oguntoyinbo, lauded Oba Olawale for his leadership in making Faji an open-defecation-free community.

Community members also gave positive testimonies. Mrs. Dayo Oyewole and Mrs. Hafisat Faniran attested that the Mectizan and Albendazole medicines had “helped tremendously” in curing Onchocerciasis and Lymphatic Filariasis.

The event concluded with the Afaji of Faji presenting gifts to the UNICEF representatives and a cultural display by students from the Faji community.

Edited by Maxwell Oyekunle

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Health

Osun Moves to Achieve Open Defecation Free Status

By Web News 584

By Mojisola Oladele

Sustainable Total Sanitation is achieved when communities not only attain Open Defecation Free (ODF) status but also sustain it by consistently maintaining proper sanitation through the use of improved toilet facilities.

Some stakeholders stated this during a two day seminar for State Task Group on Sanitation organized by Rural Water Sanitation and Hygiene Agency, RUWESA and Neglected Tropical Diseases, NTD department in the Osun State Ministry of Health in conjunction with UNICEF in Osogbo.

Speaking on the significance of the event, the General Manager, RUWESA, Mrs. Ibidun Odelola noted that participants were drawn from various government agencies to serve as desk officers and saddled with the responsibility to certify if a Community is Open Defecation, OD Free status.

“So they are here to get the training and to know the criteria they will use to certify a community to become Open Defecation Free”

Mrs. Odelola explained that, the Desk officers / State Task Group on Sanitation will visit the four wards comprising 66 communities in Odo Otin Local Government Area, to verify and certify if they are OD free as claimed by the Communities.

Contributing, UNICEF representative, South West Zone, Mr. Emmanuel Orimoloye explained that it was imperative for every human being to have access to a safe sanitation and hygiene facility to promote human health.

“UNICEF is interested in supporting communities to attain Open Defecation Free status, because every human being should have access to a safe sanitation and hygiene facility,to promote human health and dignity “

Mr. Emmanuel who explained that, most people practice open defecation due to ignorance, emphasized the need for residents to understand why they should own and use toilet facilities as well as promote hand washing at critical times.

Also contributing , the State NTD Coordinator, Ministry of Health, Dr. Abiodun Boladale emphasized that when residents stop open defecation, it will go a long way in eliminating and eradicating the spread of diseases across the State.

“The importance of the event to the State is beyond the certification , it is also to ensure the State key into the WASH programme by UNICEF and to synchronize the Programme with the Neglected Tropical Diseases, NTD, Elimination Programme in the State.”

In separate contributions, two participants, Mrs.Rachel Adeoye and Mr. Lukman Mushapha said the major objective of the event was to ensure that everyone embrace a healthy lifestyle and for communities in the State to achieve Open Defecation Free status.