The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has provided hygiene and infection prevention materials to more than 200 health facilities across all 27 local government areas of Borno State, as part of efforts to improve healthcare safety and reduce preventable infections.
The UNICEF Chief of Maiduguri Field Office, Francis Butichi, announced the intervention on Friday, May 15, 2026, during a meeting with officials of the Borno State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) and representatives of the state health sector in Maiduguri.
Butichi said the support was delivered under the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Facility Improvement Tool (WASHFIT), aimed at strengthening infection prevention and control, improving access to safe water, promoting hygiene practices, and enhancing healthcare waste management in health facilities.
He explained that the initiative targets all 27 LGAs of the state, with over 200 health facilities selected to benefit from the distribution.
According to him, the supplies, which include buckets, sprayers, detergents and other sanitation items, are intended to help facilities meet minimum water, sanitation and hygiene standards required for safe service delivery.
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Butichi noted that the intervention aligns with national guidelines as well as global standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.
He also highlighted the impact of poor hygiene in healthcare delivery, particularly in maternal care, where unsafe conditions continue to contribute to avoidable deaths.
“For instance, you are aware that many women have died while giving birth. In Nigeria, every 7 minutes, a woman dies while giving birth, and mostly, it’s because of the environment or the safety of the equipment they are using for delivering and that is why we are providing these tools,” he said.
He added that the intervention reflects UNICEF’s commitment to supporting government efforts to close gaps in water, sanitation and infection prevention standards across health facilities.
Responding, the General Manager of RUWASSA, Muhammad Aliyu, commended UNICEF for the initiative, describing it as timely and impactful for vulnerable communities.
“We commend UNICEF for this initiative and especially the timeliness of this assistance. As an agency, we will ensure that the materials are well utilised and maintained,” he said.