Josiah
The Family Strengthening Project (FS), in partnership with SOS Children’s Villages, Asiakwa, and the Atiwa East District Health Directorate in the Eastern Region, has organized a comprehensive handwashing, sanitation, and personal hygiene awareness program for two communities in the district.
The communities of Adasawase and New Jejeti benefited from the initiative, which aimed to teach residents essential handwashing skills and highlight the importance of proper hygiene in preventing respiratory and intestinal diseases, as well as dengue fever. The program sought to promote healthier living conditions for both children and the broader community.
Participants were educated on the significance of proper handwashing, learning techniques and various methods to improve hygiene and reduce the spread of diseases in their communities. Wilhelmina Oparebea Appiah, the Atiwa East District Public Health Nurse, emphasized that regular handwashing helps prevent the transmission of infectious diseases such as influenza, diarrhea, respiratory infections, and dengue fever.
She further explained that handwashing also helps reduce the risk of infections from cuts, scrapes, and wounds, aiding faster healing and preventing complications. Proper hand hygiene, she added, is especially crucial for protecting vulnerable groups like children and the elderly, whose immune systems are more susceptible to illness.
Appiah also shed light on dengue fever, a mosquito-borne viral disease prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions, and noted that the Eastern Region has seen a high number of cases. She highlighted symptoms such as sudden high fever, severe headaches, pain behind the eyes, rashes, nausea, and vomiting. To prevent dengue, she advised eliminating mosquito breeding grounds, using insect repellents and nets, avoiding late outdoor activities, and wearing protective clothing.
Priscilla Kumi, the Community Empowerment Officer for the Family Strengthening Project, stressed the importance of parents, particularly mothers, teaching children proper handwashing habits to reduce child mortality and prevent diseases that can hinder their development.
The sensitization program at New Jejeti reached 311 participants, including 231 adults and 80 children, while at Adasawase, 284 individuals attended, comprising 230 adults and 54 children.
