Dettol, Wellbeing Foundation Africa promote hygiene education in communities

Reckitt through its Dettol brand in Nigeria has partnered with Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA) for accelerated Hygiene education in schools, communities, and healthcare facilities.

The partners will be using the Dettol Hygiene Quest Curriculum, a collaboration which also coincides with the 2022 Global Hand washing Day campaign.

The public presentation and official flag off the partnership was recently held in Lagos State and was attended by representatives from the Federal Ministry of Health, the State Basic Education Fund, leaders from both organizations, stakeholders in the health and education sectors from Lagos state, Kwara state and the FCT, Abuja.

The Dettol Hygiene Quest curriculum aims to educate, empower and inspire six million school children to practice healthy hygiene habits, to achieve a 20 per cent increase in hand washing incidence, reduce diarrhea cases by 10 per cent and achieve a 10 per cent decline in absenteeism by 2025.  In the pilot program amongst public schools in 20 LGAs within Lagos State, the curriculum reached over 85,000 school children, and results from the Impact assessment showed a 34 per cent increase in knowledge of proper handwashing, and a seven per cent reduction in diarrhoea amongst the participants after the intervention.

Over the next 12 months, Dettol Nigeria in partnership with the WBFA, will be accelerating the Hygiene Quest’s program in the FCT, Abuja, Lagos and Kwara State with the aim to educate and aid behaviour change in children’s hygiene habits and reduce the incidence of illness and sick days from school. This in turn will have a profound, generational, impact on health, education, and development.

Speaking on the partnership at the event, Head of External Communications and Partnerships, Reckitt Sub-Saharan Africa, Cassandra Uzo-Ogbugh, on behalf of the General Manager, Reckitt Sub Saharan Africa, Akbar Ali Shah, expressed the company’s optimism for the partnership. “At Reckitt, we are driven by our purpose, which is to protect, heal and nurture in the relentless pursuit of a cleaner and healthier world. Reckitt’s commitment to Nigeria has been and continues to support efforts that promote the health and well-being of Nigerians. 

Also speaking at the event was Wellbeing Foundation Africa National Programs Lead, Dr. Franco Apiyanteide who delivered the opening remarks on behalf of the Founder-President of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, Her Excellency Toyin, Ojora Saraki.