- Title: Ivory Coast launches first intelligent hand-washing station
- Date: 15th July 2020
- Summary: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (RECENT) (REUTERS) LARGE WATER CONTAINER WITH PEOPLE QUEUING TO WASH THEIR HANDS AT THE ENTRANCE OF BINGERVILLE MARKET PEOPLE QUEUING AND WASHING THEIR HANDS SIGN SAYING (French): "INTELLIGENT PUBLIC HAND WASHING STATION" VOLUNTEER EXPLAINING TO YOUNG MAN HOW TO USE THE HAND WASHING STATION YOUNG MAN'S FOOT ON PEDAL TO RELEASE WATER (SOUNDBITE) (French) SECRETARY GENERAL FOR THE NGO MY DREAM FOR AFRICA FOUNDATION, SORY TOURE, SAYING: "These hand washing stations have specific characteristics, they are intelligent hand washing stations. It means that there are digital sensors that tell us the quantity of water in the tank which allows us to replenish the station when needed. It also tells us the number of people that wash their hands, that's really interesting because it allows us to study behaviours and to provide palliative solutions according to the actions of the populations. How different populations behave in terms of hygiene is interesting to know in order to analyse and support populations on that level." OFFICIALS SURROUNDING HAND WASHING STATION FOR THE LAUNCH CEREMONY MAYOR OF BINGERVILLE, YOUSSOUF DOUMBIA, BEING SHOWN BY VOLUNTEER HOW TO USE HAND WASHING STATION CROWDS WATCHING CEREMONY POLICE OFFICER STANDING IN FRONT OF CROWD (SOUNDBITE) (French) MAYOR OF BINGERVILLE, YOUSSOUF DOUMBIA, SAYING: "This station is very important because it is set up at the entrance of the market. The Bingerville market is the largest market in town, around 500 people come in and out of this market everyday. There are bus drivers and taxi drivers that work around this market, it will allow everyone to wash their hands and follow sanitary measures put in place by the Ivory Coast government." PACKED MARKET VENDORS IN MARKET VENDOR CUTTING A FRUIT PEOPLE WALKING AROUND MARKET PEOPLE QUEUING TO WASH THEIR HANDS AT STATION (SOUNDBITE) (French) TAXI DRIVER, ABOU DIOMANDE, SAYING: "It's a good opportunity for us drivers, the mayor is coming to us to raise awareness in to deal with this disease because this disease is strong, we never saw that in Africa, in the entire world." WOMAN SELLING FACE MASKS IN FRONT OF HAND WASHING STATION
- Embargoed: 29th July 2020 11:17
- Keywords: COVID-19 Coronavirus handwashing station hygiene markets wash hands
- Location: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST
- City: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST
- Country: Ivory Coast
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001CMX5I6V
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: An NGO in Abidjan has set up an intelligent hand washing station at the entrance of one the city's busiest markets in the municipality of Bingerville. It can tell how much water is left in the tank but most importantly it counts how many people wash their hands, a valuable tool in the fight against the novel coronavirus officials say.
Financed by the Swiss government, the NGO My Dream For Africa Foundation has come up with the idea of adding specific sensors to hand washing stations.
Those sensors will not only allow the tank to never be out of water but will also gather data on whether populations wash their hands during the sanitary crisis.
"These hand washing stations have specific characteristics, they are intelligent hand washing stations. It means that there are digital sensors that tell us the quantity of water in the tank which allows us to replenish the station when needed. It also tells us the number of people that wash their hands, that's really interesting because it allows us to study behaviours and to provide palliative solutions according to the actions of the populations. How different populations behave in terms of hygiene is interesting to know in order to analyse and support populations on that level," said Sory Toure, the Secretary General of the NGO.
He added the analysed data should allow officials to know if people follow sanitary measures to fight the novel coronavirus, helping them to redirect their message if necessary.
Toure also said they hoped to have the hand washing stations available in all 10 of Abidjan's municipalities.
The Mayor of Bingerville Youssouf Doumbia who inaugurated the new station in front of hundreds of local residents said the entrance of the market is a strategic location for the new initiative.
"This station is very important because it is set up at the entrance of the market. The Bingerville market is the largest market in town, around 500 people come in and out of this market everyday. There are bus drivers and taxi drivers that work around this market, it will allow everyone to wash their hands and follow sanitary measures put in place by the Ivory Coast government," said Doumbia.
With a total of 2,376 cases and dozens of new infections each day, Ivory Coast has yet to contain the virus.
The Ivorian government introduced coronavirus-related restrictions on March 16, including closing schools and partially sealing its external borders. It has eased some of those measures in recent weeks. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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