TheCable

In a bid to prevent the spread of Ebola Virus, minister of water resources, Mrs Sarah Ochekpe, has urged traders and drivers to wash their hands with soap regularly.

Ochekpe gave the advice at the official inauguration of the national emergency hand washing campaign to prevent the spread of Ebola, when she visited the Wuse market and Jabi motor park.

The minister said that constant washing of the hands with soap could prevent the spread of the virus.

“Although this disease called Ebola Virus kills, we can stop it from killing us by simply washing our hands with soap and water regularly.

“Sometimes we are lazy toward washing our hands before eating; when we want to eat we just rub our hands on our clothes and start eating believing that disease cannot kill the black man.

“But since the outbreak of the Ebola Virus, we now know that disease can kill a black man.

“And that is why we have to do everything possible to make sure we survive and prevent the spread of the illness.

“Therefore, hand washing is one of the basic things you need to do; if you shake hands with someone, lift or touch something, you must wash your hands.

“Even if you scratch your head, it’s hygienic to wash your hand because hand-washing saves us a lot of trouble.

“But when you don’t wash your hands and you come in contact with a sick person, you will contract disease.

“Ebola Virus can kill an entire family if one of the family members contracts it,” she said.

The minister explained that although hand sanitisers could be used to wash the hands, they were not as effective as soap.

She advised the public not to wipe the hands with towels after washing, but to allow the breeze to dry them.

She also urged the public to avoid shaking of hands.

Ochekpe promised that the ministry would drill a borehole at the Utako park to raise the level of sanitation there.

The chairman, Mini Bus/Long Journey at the motor park, Mr Olugbade Olagunju, thanked the minister for the campaign, saying that the information provided by the minister was useful.

He promised that drivers in the park would imbibe the habit of regular washing of the hands.

According to him, the Ebola Virus has constituted a major threat to their business in view of the low patronage of passengers since the outbreak of the disease in the country.

“Before Ebola came it was Boko Haram that threatened our business; now this epidemic has worsened the situation as people hardly patronise public car parks now in order to avoid contracting the disease.

“We are Nigerians we can’t keep running away from one another; therefore, we will make sure that this becomes history,” he said.

Olagunju called on the government to assist the drivers in rehabilitating the motor park and providing clean water to help promote hygiene.

Speaking at the market, the WaterAid Country Director, Mr Michael Ojo, said the campaign was crucial to averting dreaded illnesses.

Ojo, therefore, charged traders in the market to use the available toilet facilities properly and to imbibe the habit of washing their hands with soap after each visit to the restroom and before eating.