Maintain hand washing to combat Ebola -- Experts

Oct 13, 2022

The Hygiene Behavioural Change Coalition (HBCC) campaign, which is led by Amref Health Africa, received a 3.5 million pounds grant for Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania

(L-R) Joanita Mukasa Menya from Unilever Uganda, Prof. Myriam Sidibe Director National Business Compact and Dr Patrick Kagurusi the country manager Amref Health in Uganda/ Photos by Violet Nabatanzi

Violet Nabatanzi
Journalist @New Vision

Health experts have appealed to the public to maintain handwashing with soap and clean water in order to combat the Ebola virus and other hygiene-related diseases.

Speaking during the commemoration of the 2022 Global Handwashing Day at Onomo Hotel in Nakasero, Kampala on Wednesday ( October 12, 2022) National Business Compact director Prof. Myriam Sidibe said hand washing with soap should be part of daily life.

Dr Patrick Kagurusi, the country manager Amref Health in Uganda, also said hand washing remains a very good intervention in reducing diarrhea diseases, flues and respiratory infections.

Dr Patrick Kagurusi the country manager Amref Health in Uganda (L) and Stephen Alege the Head Social Behavior Change at Population Services International Uganda during the commemoration of the Global Handwashing Day.

Dr Patrick Kagurusi the country manager Amref Health in Uganda (L) and Stephen Alege the Head Social Behavior Change at Population Services International Uganda during the commemoration of the Global Handwashing Day.

It is against this background that they launched a campaign to improve personal and environmental hygiene, through interpersonal communication and an enabling environment for water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).

The campaign also seeks to improve vaccination uptake by incorporating vaccination messages with hygiene messaging and to strengthen health systems for sustained hygiene and prevention and control of COVID-19.

The Hygiene Behavioural Change Coalition (HBCC) campaign, which is led by Amref Health Africa, received a 3.5 million pounds grant for Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. The campaign is expected to end in April next year.

Kagurusi said for the three countries, they are targeting 75 million people, but for Uganda they hope to reach 6.7 million people directly and 20 million indirectly through mass media.

He said for Amref Health Africa - Uganda, the campaign will be implemented in two districts of Kampala and Wakiso, which have been gazed by the health ministry as hotspots of many viral diseases, including COVID-19 and Ebola.

The experts are optimistic that by investing in hygiene behavioral change, quality health care and empowering communities with critical hygiene information many health challenges will be addressed and relieve the burden of disease treatment in the health facilities, by creating good health from grass root level.

Stephen Alege, the head of social behaviour change at Population Services International Uganda said: ‘’We are fostering consistent and effective handwashing and we hope this can make a contribution in case Ebola is able to spread up to the city,’’ he added that they intend to reach over 50 schools.

 

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