WHO, IPC Call For Better Infection Control Practices Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic In Edo

The World Health Organisation (WHO) office in Edo State, Nigeria, and the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) arm of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) have called on Edo residents to engage in better hand hygiene and other infection control practices to support the health workers in the fight against coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the state.

The WHO and the IPC Ambassador made the call on Friday, in an interview with our reporter at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) in Benin City, Edo State capital.

This follows the “Save Lives: Clean Your Hands” global campaign celebrated annually on the 5th of May (World Hand Hygiene Day) aimed at maintaining the global promotion, visibility and sustainability of hand hygiene in health care and to bring people together in support of hand hygiene improvement around the world.

The Representative of the WHO, Mrs Grace Ireotoe, who spoke on behalf of the Edo State Coordinator of the WHO, Mrs Faith Ireye, noted that hand washing, the use of face masks and other infection control practices are important to maintain healthy living, stressing the importance in preventing other infections, especially in this time.

“It is very important for everyone to recognize the importance of proper hand hygiene practices alongside other infection control practices in this period because the hand is used for so many activities like eating, lifting of objects, shaking hands, touching surfaces, etc. and while carrying out these activities, the hands come in contact with different germs and bacterial responsible for different infections, this is why it is important to ensure our hands are always clean because germs are not visible to the eyes, but a proper handwashing culture coupled with other COVID-19 guidelines will help maintain healthy living, preventing other infections and aiding the health workers especially in the fight against Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic in the state.”

On her part, the Chairperson of the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Committee, Dr Esohe Olivia Ugboghodo, while addressing the need for Edo residents to imbibe proper hand hygiene and other infection control practices, said:

“The hand carries most of the germs that can be transmitted from patient to patient, patient to the caregiver, patient to a health worker or health worker to patient, through touching the patient’s environment or after performing a procedure on the patient. So it is important for everyone to have that consciousness of proper handwashing practice, the use of hand sanitisers and other guidelines.

“UBTH as part of the 34 orange networks under the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), is joining voice with other network facilities, the NCDC and WHO, that we need to build proper hand washing and other infection control practices to ensure that our hands are clean every time to avoid transmission of other communicable diseases.

“The third wave of COVID-19 is on now in some other countries, and our prayer is that we shouldn’t be hit the way countries like India and others are hit. As such everyone should make handwashing and other Coronavirus (Covid-19) guidelines part of our culture so as to stay healthy,” she added.

According to data obtained from the NCDC website as of 8:24 am on Friday, 7th May 2021, Edo State has 4,904 confirmed coronavirus cases (lab confirmed), with 5 cases on admission. The state has a recorded 185 deaths while 4,714 have been discharged.