The World Health Day was first celebrated in 1950, and every year since then, the World Health Organization (WHO) has used the 7th of April as a day to campaign for raising awareness of the need to improve global health. The theme for this year’s celebration is Universal Health Coverage which ensures that people get the right healthcare, where and when they need it without any form of financial barrier.
Commenting on the World Health Day celebration, General Manager, RB West Africa Dayanand Sriram stated:
“Dettol is happy to join the rest of the world in celebrating the 2019 World Health Day. At RB, we see this as a good opportunity to renew our commitment to helping Nigerians live healthier lives through the adoption of good hygiene practices. We believe that simple activities such as regular washing of hands, go a long way in preventing the spread of diseases like diarrhoea amongst children and adults. We will continue to work together with our partners and stakeholders to educate Nigerians on the importance of good hygiene and healthy habits.”
According to UNICEF, the prevalence rate of diarrhoea in Nigeria is 18.8%, accounting for an estimated 150,000 deaths yearly amongst children under five due to poor hygienic and sanitary practices.
Recently, Dettol signed an MoU with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources to launch the ‘Clean Naija Program’, a national hygiene initiative designed to create awareness and educate the public on the importance of handwashing in order to promote personal hygiene and achieve a cleaner and healthier Nigeria.
RB Nigeria, through its Dettol brand, already has a number of programs committed to tackling some of these issues, but it aims to bring all of its activities into one initiative that will educate and create awareness that will lead to a behavioural change among Nigerians.