By Asma’u Ahmad
The Federal Capital Territory Primary Health Care Board (FCT PHCB) has urged the Federal Government to review environmental laws to curb diarrhoea and other environmental diseases.
Executive Secretary of the board, Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, in an interview with newsmen in Abuja said that UNICEF had declared Nigeria as one of the counties with high infant mortality due to acute diarrhoea.
Dr. Mohammed also advised the general public to keep their environment clean and dispose of their refuse properly, noting that unclean environment is one of the causes of outbreak of diarrhoea and other diseases.
He called on government to reintroduce the monthly sanitation exercise and enjoined environmental officers to enforce environmental laws.
“In the 1970’s we have health and medical personnel that go round to check houses and environments to make sure they are clean. The environment laws need to be reviewed and enforced to reduce outbreaks of diarrhoea and other environmental disease,” he said.
The executive secretary noted that, children while playing could be exposed to many unseen germs that often led to infections; he therefore urged parents, guardians and teachers to pay particular attention to children’s hygiene in order to avoid infectious disease.
