Safe, clean and hygienic toilet has been identified as one of the fundamental ways of preventing diseases and reducing vulnerability and exposure of women to harm and dangers. The General Manager, Reckitt Benckiser, Mr. Rahul Murgai Silivrili, stated this as Nigeria marked the World Toilet Day (WTD) on Thursday, November 20, 2014.
The awareness campaign becomes necessary following the United Nations’ figure that 2.5 billion people globally do not have access to proper sanitation, including toilets or latrines, with dramatic consequences on human health, dignity and security, the environment, social and economic development. It was also said that in Nigeria, about 34 million people do not have access to clean toilets. With the theme “Clean Toilets, Healthy Homes”, this year’s WTD put on the front burner the importance of having access to clean toilets and the potential health implications as well as the vulnerability it poses, especially to women and children. Harpic, a stain removal liquid soap from the stable of Reckitt Benckiser and the market leader in health, hygiene and home care products, was at the forefront of the celebration in the country. With the theme ‘CleanHygenicToiletsWithHarpic’, the Toilet Day was used to inspire action and underscore the urgency to maintain sanitary hygiene and as part of its efforts to ensuring that people have access to clean toilets in homes and communities. Harpic announced the deployment of Free Harpic Experience Mobile Toilets and educating consumers on how to keep and maintain clean hygienic toilets and push for a momentum for behavioural change. Marketing Director, West Africa, Mr. Oguzhan Silivrili, stated that the Harpic Experience Moments is a set of activities that began with reaching 1,000,000 homes across 16 cities within the country to educate consumers about how to keep a clean and hygienic toilet. “This World Toilet Day marks the flag off of the ‘Harpic Mobile Toilet Experience Train’ that would be rolled out to increase access to clean toilet, especially in public places where toilets are dilapidated or non-existent. The Harpic train would kick off in Lagos State, which has only 45% access to flush toilets in the following communities: Lagos Island, Mushin, Agege and Ikotun, where residents will be sensitised on the need to maintain clean toilets. During these Harpic Experience Moments, consumers, especially women, would be taught the simple methods of keeping their toilets clean using Harpic.”