Residents of Kilifi have been urged to improve hand-washing culture in order to fight diseases amidst the ravaging drought and scarce water in the region.
According to health experts, Kilifi County is at 67% in handwashing with Chasimba ward in Kilifi South constituency lagging at 11.6% in terms of the number of people who wash their hands appropriately.
Speaking at Chasimba Primary school, Kilifi county health director Dr. Hassan Hamisi Leli said that the handwashing culture greatly improved in households and public when Corona Virus hit the country following the Covid-19 protocols unlike now.
Dr. Hamisi said that the rate of water-borne diseases transmission like cholera, diarrhea and typhoid has reduced by over 50% owing to the Covid-19 guidelines practices.
He acknowledged the fact that there is scarce water in the region due to drought but urged residents to make sure they wash their hands with running water and soap in order to fight the diseases.
Kilifi South Sub-county medical officer of health Dr. Sultan Hubess called upon partners to combine efforts in ensuring that residents especially from low-resource communities wash their hands despite water scarcity.
He said one of the ways the county government and partners will improve handwashing is through reducing water scarcity.
Kilifi South health administrator Penina Dzombo called upon women to ensure that other than just washing their hands, they should be on the front line to educate their families on handwashing since they are the ones who handle most activities in the kitchen.
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