The Senate Committee on Health says it would continue to push for improved budgetary allocation that would enhance the level of health care delivery in the country.
Immediate past Chairman of the Committee, Senator Olarenwaju Tejuosho stated this at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital while flagging off this year’s World hand hygiene day tagged: “Clean Care for All, It’s in your Hands.” He said while the push for improved budgetary allocation was on, Nigerians should not lose sight of other cost effective ways of promoting healthcare. Senator Tejuosho noted that regular hand wash was a necessity and could bring down the rate and possibly prevent many communicable diseases that were easily transmitted in hospitals, work places and in many communities. He said the hospitals were best suited for the campaign especially as it relates to the regular interactions between care givers and patients. Senator Tejuosho said that this year’s hand hygiene campaign with the sub theme: “Turn Nigeria to Orange,” should be popularized as a life saving campaign and promised to do so as the brand Ambassador.
Earlier, the Director General of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, Dr. Chikwe Ihiekwerazu, said the Turn Nigeria Orange Project was geared towards sensitizing Nigerians especially health workers on the many benefits of hand hygiene. He said the campaign taking off at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital would be launched in twenty other hospitals across the country.
In an address of welcome, the Chief Medical Director, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Professor Bissallah Ekele, represented by the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee of the Hospital, Dr. Nicholas Baamlong, commended the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control for the robust ties existing between the Hospital and the Centre. He said the Management of the Hospital would continue to support initiatives that would promote safer health for all. Also at the event, the Chairman of the Infection Prevention Control Committee, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Dr. Thairu Yunusa commended the Management of the Hospital for allowing the project to be launched here and for its support to the Committee over the years.
The ”Turn Nigeria Orange Project” was organized by the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital’s Infection Prevention Control Committee in collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.