In ABUJA, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) many communities, particularly the ones sited at the outskirt of the city does not have access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), The ICIR findings revealed.
As COVID-19 and Cholera surge in Nigeria, keeping safe is becoming difficult for these communities, who have continued to struggle with safe water, toilets and good hygiene. Many of the residents who spoke with The ICIR allay the fear of contracting any of the infectious diseases.

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Inside Gosa Kpai Kpai community where residents lack potable water, practice open defecation

According to the World Health organization (WHO) proper hand washing is one of the significant measures that prevent coronavirus, Lassa fever, Cholera and a host of other infectious diseases.

For people in Gosa Kpai Kpai, hand washing is a challenge many find difficult to observe. The residents’ problem could not be far-fetched from the fact that they lack potable water.

In October 2020, the people of Gosa Kpai Kpai were full of high spirit, when the Riders for Health Nigeria borehole water project funded by the Ford Foundation was commissioned in the community.

However, barely a year after the project was birthed, the people’s hope was cut short, as the borehole suddenly stopped working.

Obadiah Ado, a resident of the community said the people had no choice but to retire to the traditional way of fetching water from the stream.

“Our children and wives always wake up very early in the morning, trek a few kilometers before they could fetch from the stream.”

READ MORE HERE: https://www.icirnigeria.org/abuja-communities-battle-for-wash-as-covid-19-cholera-surge-in-nigeria/