Dr Afia Zakiya, Country Representative WaterAid Ghana, has called on government and other stakeholders to enforce community bye-laws to deal with the sanitation situation.

She said the improper functioning of bye-laws in communities and insufficient funds, has brought about inadequate hygienic facilities such as waste-bins and toilets in most schools thereby affecting the health of people, especially children.

Dr Zakiya said this at an event in Accra to mark this year’s Global hand washing day celebration on the theme “Raise a Hand for Hygiene”.

She said this year’s celebration follows the historic adoption of the new United Nations Global goals on sustainable development for 2030.

She noted that the lack of hand washing facilities in most public schools is worrying and called on authorities to ensure that hand washing is included as a measure of progress for the goal on water and sanitation for all, to help achieve full health benefits.

Dr Zakiya said there is the need for officials to ensure that all public schools are provided with the facilities for a good hygienic practices and prosperous lives.

She said everyday across the world, 1,400 children under five die from diarrhoea caused by dirty water and poor sanitation and hygiene.

“We are now one step closer in ensuring such tragedy will be a thing of the past with the recent agreement of global goals, which aim to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030," she said.

However, there is still work to be done to ensure the world delivers on the potential of these goals and for this reason WaterAid is appealing for the vital role of all to make this work, she said.

Dr Zakiya said most often people overlook hygiene, particularly hand washing which has made a massive difference to the health and wellbeing of the global population as it is recognised as the most cost-effective development interventions by the World Bank.

Marking the day with a palm printing event urged stakeholders to organise series of activities to raise awareness and promote good hygiene behaviour.

Ms Sika Dzesu, School Health Coordinator, Accra Metropolitan Education, asked parents to take the responsibility to ensure that their children wash their hands frequently with soap and water after school.

She said the habit of hand washing should not only be limited to schools but at community levels for effective living and a good environment.

Mr Yirimambo Moses Ambina, Convention People’s Party Greater Accra Regional Youth Organiser, commended WaterAid Ghana for the initiative.

He said water and sanitation is paramount in the development of every nation hence the need for all to be discipline and ensure they keep their surroundings clean.

“By inculcating discipline in ourselves and playing our roles as expected sanitation issues would be a thing of the past.”