by Wilson Rume

Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) has come and gone in Nigeria. During the outbreak of the virus, many Nigerians were greeted with fear due to the means of transmission from one person to another, which only requires direct contact with bodily fluids such as sweats, saliva and blood of an infected person. That fear has now been suppressed, at least for now, with Nigeria declared Ebola-free by the World Health Organization (WHO) in October.

But what remains with us are the lessons of the importance of personal hygiene that the EVD taught us or at least brought to our memory as a country. During the EVD outbreak, hand sanitizers were flying off the store shelves as Nigerians stocked them in their bags and pockets, hoping to protect themselves from the EVD. Banks, religious institutions, eateries and offices equally placed sanitizers at their entrances for use. This led to a dramatic surge in the sale of hand sanitizers even as their prices rose more than twice or thrice, when compared with prices before the outbreak. Also, many Nigerians resorted to washing their hands regularly with soap or detergent, irrespective of whether or not they made contact with anyone.  Some Nigerians even cleaned their car steering and door handles with sanitizers. Those were the days of Ebola in Nigeria.

 As citizens, we do not have to wait for the outbreak of a disease or virus like the EVD before we practice personal hygiene. Hand washing and the use of sanitizers should become part of our culture. We need to educate our kids on the importance of washing their hands regularly and ensure that they implement this.

Now, the EVD is no more in Nigeria, according to the WHO. Coincidentally, the use of hand sanitizers has declined too.  Findings from an oral survey among Lagosians revealed that 95% of the respondents could not remember the last time they used their hand sanitizer, although many claimed they still possess one. The main reason for this was that “Ebola has left Nigeria”. While it is true that the EVD has left Nigeria, the reality is that it is still in nearby African countries. Besides, Ebola should not be the only reason why we should always keep our hands clean.

As citizens, we do not have to wait for the outbreak of a disease or virus like the EVD before we practice personal hygiene. Hand washing and the use of sanitizers should become part of our culture. We need to educate our kids on the importance of washing their hands regularly and ensure that they implement this. Not only does it reduce the spread of diarrhoeal and respiratory illness, according to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, hand washing is also one of the best ways to remove germs, avoid getting sick, and prevent the spread of germs to others. Clean Hands Save Lives!

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