NYSC Launches Monthly Sanitation Exercise

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) on Saturday flagged-off  the nationwide monthly environmental sanitation exercise across the 25 Local Government Areas ( LGAs) in Niger.

Brig.-Gen Shuaibu Ibrahim, Director -General of NYSC, flagged off the monthly exercise tagged: “Clean Environment/Good hygiene; Panacea for Good Health and Long Life” at the Emir’s Palace in Minna.

Ibrahim, who was represented by Mrs Funmilayo Ajayi, NYSC Coordinator in the state  explained that environmental sanitation was one of the key requirements for the prevention of diseases and their escalation.

He said the exercise was to enlighten the general public especially the rural dwellers, on the health risk of poor hygiene, with focus on prevention of contamination of food, water and the environment.

The director-general said that the exercise would include mobilisation of members of the communities to participate in the exercise, as well as sensitisation, disease surveillance and report of outbreaks.

He noted that most ailments diagnosed and treated during the recently conducted nationwide medical outreach, Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers, by corps members which impacted  the lives of people, was as a result of poor hygiene.

Ibrahim expressed optimism that a continuation of the sanitation exercise would help reduce to the barest minimum, malaria and other related diseases in the state and the country at large.

In his remarks, the Emir of Minna, Dr Umaru Bahago, stated that clean environment prevented transmission of diseases, adding that cleanliness  was one of the secrets for people to live a long life.

Bahago, who was represented by Dr Mohammed Dankaka, Maianguwan Nasarawa, called on residents to always ensure that their environment was clean and pledged the emirate’s support for the sustainability of the exercise.

Mr Sunday Aroni, Deputy Director, Corps Welfare and Health Services from the scheme’s Head Office, said the exercise was an upshoot of the recently conducted medical outreach.

He called on corps members to avail themselves for the exercise in order to have a healthy environment.