The Registrar of the Nigeria Environmental Health Council EHCON, Dr Yakubu Mohammed Baba, has urged Nigerians to prioritise environmental sanitation, personal hygiene and other preventive measures to curb the spread of transmissible diseases across the country.
Dr Baba made the call during an interview on the BBC Hausa radio magazine programme, Ra’ayi Riga, where he spoke on issues affecting the health and wellbeing of children and families.
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He stressed the need for Nigerians to focus more on preventing diseases before they occur, noting that poor sanitary conditions, unsafe water and unhygienic environments expose communities, particularly children, to preventable illnesses.
The Registrar urged parents and caregivers to take the health of children seriously by ensuring that they receive appropriate vaccinations and are taken to health facilities promptly whenever they show symptoms of illness.
He said closing vaccination gaps and improving access to basic preventive healthcare are critical to protecting children and reducing the burden of transmissible diseases.
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Dr Baba also called for collective responsibility in maintaining clean and healthy environments.
He advised communities to ensure proper disposal of refuse, prevent contamination of water sources, keep their surroundings and drainage systems clean, and observe regular handwashing and other basic hygiene practices.
The Registrar cautioned against overcrowding and other environmental practices that could create conditions favourable for the transmission of diseases.
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He further stressed the need for sustained public health education and stronger collaboration among government agencies, healthcare professionals, families and communities to strengthen disease prevention.
Dr Baba urged Nigerians to make environmental cleanliness and personal hygiene part of their daily lives, stressing that effective disease prevention begins with healthy practices, clean surroundings, timely vaccination and responsible health-seeking behaviour.