Proper hand washing can reduce Diarrhoea-related deaths by half – Minister

From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja

The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Terlumun Utsev, has underscored the life-saving potential of proper hand washing practices, saying consistent hand hygiene could reduce deaths from diarrhoea by almost half and deaths from acute respiratory infections by a quarter.

He stated this on Tuesday in Abuja during the opening ceremony of the 2025 Global Hand washing Day, organised by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and the National Task Group on Sanitation (NTGS).

Professor Utsev highlighted that proper hand hygiene remains a critical public health intervention that improves sanitation, reduces disease outbreaks, and enhances economic productivity.

“The adoption of this practice is estimated to cut deaths from diarrhoea by almost half and deaths from acute respiratory infections by a quarter,” he said. “Handwashing is a first-line defence in preventing outbreaks and reducing the toll of pandemics, as we witnessed during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, where it significantly contributed to reducing mortalities.”

The Minister called for collective action to expand access to hygiene services across Nigeria in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.2, which targets universal access to hand washing facilities with soap and water.

Despite what he described as a “99 percent awareness level” of hand washing practices in the country, Utsev expressed concern that proper practice remains low among Nigerians.

“Unfortunately, a significant portion of the population cannot demonstrate proper hand washing with soap and running water. Many still struggle to wash their hands at critical times – after defecation, after touching animals or sick individuals, after playing, and before cooking, eating, handling food, or feeding others,” he lamented.

He, therefore, urged renewed efforts to review and strengthen existing national strategies to ensure sustainable hygiene interventions.

In his remarks, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, described hand washing as a shared responsibility crucial to preserving human health. Represented by the Assistant Director, Pollution Control and Environmental Health, Aghogho Gbetsere, Lawal noted that the proper adoption of hand washing practices could be a major life-saver for Nigerians.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Richard Pheelangwa, represented by the Director of Reforms Coordination and Service Improvement, Mr. Moses Jo-Madugu, described hand hygiene as a simple but powerful tool in preventing disease and promoting national well-being.

He commended the National Task Group on Sanitation for its consistent efforts in promoting hand hygiene nationwide and lauded the media for their contribution to public enlightenment.

“We count on your continued support to spread the message of handbwashing for healthy living,” he said.

The Global Hand washing Day is observed annually to promote awareness and understanding about the importance of hand washing with soap as an effective and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives.