Kuje: The Centre for School Health Education and Environmental Hygiene (CSHEEH) on Friday marked the 2025 Global Handwashing Day in Kuje, Abuja. The event, which took place at Peace International Ambassador School, featured community sensitisation, health talks, and the recognition of local hygiene heroes.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, CSHEEH Executive Director, Dr. Folasade Momoh, emphasized that the theme, ‘Be a Handwashing Hero,’ encourages individuals to promote clean hand habits. She stated that handwashing with soap remains one of the most effective ways to prevent illness and save lives. Momoh highlighted that the theme urges everyone to champion hand hygiene in schools, communities, and workplaces. Selected pupils and community members were honoured as handwashing heroes, expected to lead by example, educate others, and support hygiene initiatives. She expressed gratitude to the school management and event sponsors for their support.
In her remarks, the school proprietress, Pastor Gloria Attah, noted that the event served as a reminder of the life-saving value of handwashing. She remarked, ‘True heroes are those who make safe choices like washing their hands. Clean hands save lives.’ Attah commended CSHEEH for selecting the school and reaffirmed her commitment to children’s health.
Traditional rulers, community leaders, and parents were also in attendance. The FCT Director of Public Health, Dr. Dan Gadzama, was represented by Hajia Hauwa Suleiman, Head of the Health Promotion Division. Suleiman described handwashing as a simple daily habit with a powerful health impact, calling it the cornerstone of public health and key to disease prevention. She urged the public to adopt regular handwashing as a lifestyle to help maintain health and protect the future. Suleiman thanked the Director for supporting the division’s participation in the event.
Several individuals were honoured for their contributions to promoting hygiene, including Dr. Gbenga Eweoya, Medical Director of Agape Biomedical Clinic, and Hajiya Salamatu Abdu Sabo, the wife of the Kuje Area Council Chairman and founder of the 7th June Youth and Women Empowerment and Education Initiative. Pupils Emmanuela Ugwu and Farouk Husseini were decorated as global handwashing ambassadors.
The event, as reported by NAN, featured health talks, handwashing demonstrations, and donations of hygiene products. Five schools participated, including Blossom Educational School, Laura Basic Academy, Goshield International School, Joshgar International Academy, and Peace International Ambassador School.