The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has emphasised on environmental sanitation as a key requirement for the prevention of diseases in the country.

Brigadier-General Shuaibu Ibrahim, the Corps’ director-general, said this at the kick-off of the 2021 NYSC National Environmental Sanitation exercise on Saturday in Akure.

Mr Ibrahim, who was represented by the NYSC Ondo State Coordinator, Victoria Ani, said environmental sanitation helps prevent the escalation of diseases to epidemic proportions.

The NYSC boss said the scheme would not relent in providing adequate information that would save the lives of the citizens and residents of the country.

He said efforts must be stepped up to enlighten the general public, especially the rural dwellers, on the health risks of poor hygiene with particular focus on the prevention of contamination of food, water and the entire environment’.

“It may interest you to know that during the nationwide medical outreaches recently conducted on the platform of the NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers, most of the ailments diagnosed and treated were as a result of poor hygiene.

“I wish to assure Nigerians that we will not rest on our oars as we continue to offer health and other services including environmental protection.

“I am particularly hopeful about the prospects of this exercise because with regular sanitation, malaria and other related diseases will be reduced to the barest minimum,” he said.

He noted that some of the ailments caused by poor hygiene included; chronic diarrhoea, ringworm, dysentery, typhoid, polio, scabies trachoma, Hepatitis A and malaria, amongst others.

Mr Ibrahim said efforts must be made to save many more lives by empowering people with adequate information on good grooming and environmental hygiene.

The sanitation exercise was carried out in major public places such as government offices, local government secretariats, palaces, markets, motor parks, gutters and drainages on major roads.

The exercise took place in all the local government areas of the state.