Borno targets schools, communities in handwashing campaign
Ahmed Ahmed
The Borno Government has intensified efforts to promote proper handwashing and hygiene practices in schools and communities to prevent infections and improve public health.
Hassan Mohammed Malgwi, State Coordinator, Neglected Tropical Diseases, Borno Ministry of Health and Human Services, said this during the commemoration of the 2026 Global Handwashing Day in Magumeri Local Government Area.
Malgwi said the awareness campaign, supported by Helen Keller International, was aimed at educating schoolchildren and community members on the importance of handwashing with soap and clean water to prevent diseases.
The event, held at Government Day Senior Secondary School, Magumeri, involved pupils and students from the junior and senior secondary sections, Central Primary School and an Islamiyya school.
He said handwashing remained one of the simplest and most effective ways of preventing the spread of infections, including diarrhoeal diseases and respiratory illnesses.
According to him, the theme of the 2026 celebration, “Action Saves Lives – Clean Your Hands,” calls for practical efforts to make handwashing a regular habit in homes, schools, health facilities and communities.
He explained that hands frequently came into contact with contaminated surfaces, making proper washing essential to prevent the transfer of germs to food, drinking water and other people.
Malgwi urged residents to wash their hands with soap and clean, running water after using the toilet, cleaning children or handling waste, as well as before preparing food, eating or feeding children.
He stressed that sustained hygiene promotion required more than awareness campaigns, noting that communities also needed access to safe water, sanitation facilities and functional handwashing stations.
The coordinator said handwashing should be integrated into broader public health interventions, including efforts to prevent neglected tropical diseases.
He cited trachoma prevention as an example, explaining that facial cleanliness, improved sanitation and hygienic surroundings were important in reducing disease transmission in affected communities.
Malgwi called on parents and caregivers to teach children proper handwashing from an early age, while urging school authorities to provide functional handwashing facilities and encourage pupils to practise good hygiene.
He also appealed to traditional and religious leaders to use their influence to mobilise residents towards adopting healthier practices.
According to him, stronger collaboration among government agencies, development partners, schools, health workers and community leaders would improve access to water, sanitation and hygiene services, particularly in underserved communities.
Mathias M. Sunama, State Coordinator of Helen Keller International, emphasised the need to translate hygiene awareness into practical daily habits.
Hajiya Yagana Mohammed, Director of Primary Healthcare in Magumeri, and Umar Lawan Ardorom, Education Secretary in the local government area, also participated in the campaign.
The organisers urged residents to sustain the handwashing practices beyond the annual commemoration to protect children, prevent avoidable illnesses and improve community health.
