The Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) has urged Nigerians to prioritise environmental sanitation, personal hygiene and other preventive measures to reduce the burden of disease transmission.

Yakubu Baba, EHCON registrar, made the call in a statement on Friday.

He said that poor sanitary conditions, unsafe water and unhygienic environments could expose communities, particularly children, to preventable illnesses.

He urged Nigerians to make environmental cleanliness and personal hygiene an integral part of their daily lives, adding that effective prevention begins with healthy practices, clean surroundings, timely vaccination, and responsible health-seeking behaviour.

Mr Baba urged parents and caregivers to take their children’s health seriously by ensuring appropriate vaccination and seeking timely medical attention whenever children exhibit symptoms of illness.

“Closing vaccination gaps and ensuring access to basic preventive healthcare are critical to protecting children and reducing the burden of transmissible diseases.

“I called for collective responsibility in maintaining clean and healthy environments. Communities should ensure proper disposal of refuse, prevent contamination of water sources, maintain clean surroundings and drainage systems and observe regular hand washing and other basic hygiene practices.

“We should guard against conditions such as overcrowding and environmental practices that can facilitate the transmission of diseases,” he said.

Mr Baba called for sustained public-health education and cooperation among government, healthcare professionals, families, and communities in disease prevention.

(NAN)