Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni has directed Public Health Officers in the country to put more effort into inspection of premises such as kiosks, food vendors, and businesses and to close down the non-compliant ones.
She also urged them to show more dedication to their jobs and ensure there is proper hygiene by constantly doing inspections and enforcing the required regulations to curb the spread of germs and diseases.
“Inspect premises and close down the non-compliant because where there are no rules or regulations, we are bound to fail,” warned the PS.
The PS was speaking at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) at the Manza campus in Machakos during the celebration of Global Handwashing Day, with the theme being “Why are clean hands still important?”
Muthoni said global handwashing was focusing on personal hygiene, waste management, and access to clean water, and it seeks to empower communities, schools, and health practitioners to take action in preventing diseases.
She added that there are over 22000 metric tonnes of dirt in Kenya, and Public Health Practitioners should pull up their socks and ensure food vendors and businesses dispose of their waste correctly.
Muthoni highlighted the importance of washing hands in public and within households to prevent the transmission of diseases such as cholera and other related diseases.
“We must be able to eliminate cholera and malaria because most of these diseases are preventable,” said Muthoni.
She emphasized the importance of proper hand hygiene for children, both in schools and at home, noting that effective handwashing practices can reduce the risk of infections by up to 50%.
The PS commended the Community Health workers in Machakos for their work at the grassroots level and their efforts in trying to educate locals and villagers on the importance of hygiene and doing first aid while referring the serious cases to hospitals in Machakos.
By Anne Kangero
