Dettol Nigeria has partnered with the Lagos State Office to achieve the SDG Goal 17; Partnership to achieve the Goal. The SDG goal aims to encourage global partnerships for sustainable development. The partnership took place while the world marked the “World Clean Up Day” 2021.
The partnership was made under the program, “Dean Initiative; World’s Largest Lesson and Slum and Rural Health Initiative (SRHIN).” The purpose is to drive the implementation and adoption of the program.
Vanguard reports that Mr. Akbar Ali Shah, the General Manager for Reckitt Sub-Saharan Africa, spoke during a workshop for key stakeholders in the Lagos State education sector. Mr. Shah stated that Dettol Nigeria created the Dettol Clean Naija Initiative as a campaign with the purpose of creating awareness and education. The campaign was also aimed at encouraging hygienic behavioral changes towards achieving a cleaner and healthier Nigeria.
He also noted that the aim of the campaign was to create emphasis on the need for a sanitized environment. It was also aimed at emphasizing the importance of clean water, sanitation, and hygiene when it comes to preventing the spread of diseases and infections, especially among children.
“We recognise this is an enormous task and we acknowledge the immense contribution that our partners, Lagos State office on the SDGs, Dean Initiative, World’s Largest Lesson, and SRHIN will bring to this campaign.”
He highlighted that in the past six (6) years, the initiative had taught hygiene education to over 5 million primary school children in Nigeria. He explained the need for a more intensive hygiene consciousness due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
“We are evolving from a model where we had just a one-off contact with the students, to one where there will be repeated interactions based on lessons from the Hygiene Curriculum.” He stated.
Mr. Lekan Fatodu, the Senior Special Assistant on SDGs to the Lagos State Governor, also spoke on the initiative. He mentioned that according to statistics, half of all general practitioner consultations and 12 percent of all hospitalisations among children aged 0 to 14 years are from infections. He further noted that he was enthusiastic to see the huge benefits the knowledge shared and pointed out the positive effects it would have on the physical well-being of the pupils.
“I thank and appreciate Dettol Nigeria who have partnered with the Dean Initiative, for the overall well-being of school children and I charge all our stakeholders and school executives to help ensure the success of this initiative.”
Wahab Alawiye-King, the Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), highlighted the significance of the workshop. He noted that their priority was to increase the access to education and learning outcomes by providing a safe, inclusive and equitable learning environment.
