Govt Initiated Hand Hygiene Awareness Through Panagahs During Covid: Ezdi

Chairperson Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change Senator Seemi Ezdi on Friday said the government initiated hand hygiene awareness through proper hand washing facilities at the entrance of Panagahs during the testing times of pandemic

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Oct, 2021 ) :Chairperson Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change Senator Seemi Ezdi on Friday said the government initiated hand hygiene awareness through proper hand washing facilities at the entrance of Panagahs during the testing times of pandemic.

She was addressing the Global Hand Washing Day celebration organized by the German International Development Agency (GIZ), German Embassy, UNICEF Pakistan, WaterAid and partnered by the Ministry of Climate Change and Sanitation for Millions.

Senator Ezdi said at least five panagahs or shelter homes were established in the Federal capital where proper water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities specifically hand washing sinks were set up at the entrances.

"It has helped in reducing disease spread among the people staying at the Panagahs and also promoted education and awareness on hand hygiene among the marginalized strata of the society," she said.

The Senate body chair also mentioned that hand washing; sanitation and social distancing became a new normal that would stay in the public life style for some years.

She suggested that hand washing stations should be established at the schools to inculcate hand washing among the children for mobilization of younger cohorts to adopt best hygiene practices.

She underscored that islam as a religion put huge emphasis on hygiene and cleanliness of an individual as it declared that cleanliness was half of the faith.

Youth Ambassador and Assistant Secretary at the German Embassy, Marion Pfennigs while expressing remarks on behalf of her embassy said the Covid-19 pandemic has taught the importance of hand washing for protection and hygiene of mankind.

"We can fly to the moon but there is no access to sanitation in all corners of the world and Pakistan," she said highlighting the gap of resources and access for WASH facilities globally and locally.

She underlined that the safe sanitation situation has improved in the country from 30 percent to 70 percent during 2000 to 2017.

Country Director GIZ Pakistan Tobias Becker delivered the welcome note and briefed the participants over the GIZ initiatives being implemented in the country to improve its WASH and safe sanitation facilities.

A panel discussion on "Our Future is at Hand� Let's Move Forward Together" focusing the theme of this year's Global Handing Washing Day that was participated by Country Director Water Aid, UNICEF WASH Specialist Kamran Naeem and UNILEVER Representative Fatima Ahmed and others deliberated their views.

A GIZ prepared video on Global Hand Washing Day was also played to show provincial campaign to mark the day.

Later the chairperson Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change Senator Seemi Ezdi and others signed the wall of pledge.