Agency, UNICEF sensitise 60,000 people on cholera eradication in Zamfara

The Rural Water and Sanitation Agency (RUWATSAN) is partnering with the United Nation’s Children Fund (UNICEF) to sensitise 60,000 people on cholera eradication in Zamfara.

The Programme Manager, RUWATSAN, Alhaji Sani Gurbinbore, made this known in an interactive session with Zamfara WASH Journalists Forum in Gusau on Friday.

Gurbinbore said that the sensitisation was based on the outcome of 2021 cholera outbreak in parts of the country.

According to him, UNICEF is facilitating a 10-month cholera eradication project in Sokoto and Zamfara, funded by the European Union Commission for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department (ECHO).

“In Zamfara, Zurmi Local Government Area is selected for the project.

“The project is aimed at System Strengthening for Cholera Disaster Preparedness, Prevention and Risk Mitigation in High Risk Communities in the state,” he said.

The programme manager further said that the project would focus on sensitisation and awareness creation to communities, especially in the fight against open defecation, sanitation and hygiene.

“This is to give priority to health and water supply sectors and we are targeting to cover over 100 communities in Zurmi LGA.

“We are expecting to reach out to over 60,000 persons in sensitisation campaign under the project.

“We have already carried out two inception meetings with stakeholders at the state Primary Health Care Board in Gusau and  Zurmi LGAs,” he said.

Gurbinbore commended ECHO and UNICEF for the gesture to the state and appealed to stakeholders to support the programme considering its impact on healthcare delivery.

He assured that the state government was ready to support the project and appealed to the journalists to also do the same to ensure its success in the communities.

He noted that the media as agent of information dissemination had greater role to play in the project.

“Since the project is giving emphasis on sensitisation and awareness creation, we expect much efforts from the media,” Gurbinbore added.

The Chairman, Zamfara WASH Journalists Forum, Mr Ishaq Tambuwal, commended UNICEF and ECHO for selecting Zamfara for the project.

Tambuwal assured that the forum was ready to support the project in awareness creation to the targeted beneficiaries.

He assured that journalists as the forth estate of the realm were ready to partner with the government and NGOs for development of the society.