Save the Children International, an NGO, has begun the training of 84 corps members and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Jigawa, on management of pneumonia.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training was organised under the Integrated Sustainable Childhood Pneumonia and other Infectious Diseases in Nigeria (INSPIRING) project with the support of the Glaxo Smith Kline (GSK).
Dr Isa Adamu, the Chief of Party of the project, said that the training was designed to exposed the participants to detection, management and preventive tips of the disease.
Adamu, represented by Mr George Akor, the Financing and Advocacy Specialist of the project, said that it also focused at promoting health seeking behaviours among the trainees to enable them to educate people in their respective communities.
He said that the participants included 60 health-based corps members, four officials of the NYSC and 20 members of the CSOs.
“We are expanding the scope of our engagement, initially we engaged the government, media and CSOs to some extent.
“We want to engage upcoming health workers, and that is why we reached out to the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC).
“The scheme has a number of health base corps members working in healthcare facilities across the state.
“The training will enable them to know more about pneumonia, its symptoms and management in order to assist in educating parents and caregivers at the grassroots about the disease,” he said.
According to him, at the end of the exercise, the corps members will be more knowledgeable about pneumonia and health seeking behaviour.
In her remarks, Hajiya Aishatu Adamu, NYSC Coordinator in the state, lauded the organisation for the training of the corps members.
Adamu, represented by Mr Sammanuwa Yusif, said that the gesture would impact positively towards enhancing quality healthcare service delivery at the grassroots.
“NYSC is for integration and dissemination of useful information to communities, therefore, host communities will definitely feel the impact.
“The participating corps members will impart the knowledge acquired to the host communities and beyond,” she said, adding that it would assist in curbing the disease.
Some of the participants, commended the organisation for the gesture.
Saula Adebola and Solomon Agada, pledged to use the knowledge acquired in creating awareness on the disease in the state.
Also, Mr Muhammad Ahmad, of the Jigawa Coalition on Nutrition (JICON), said that the gesture would reduce complication and pneumonia related deaths.
The Inspiring project was being implemented in Jigawa and Lagos States.
The project seeks to reduce child morbidity and mortality rate associated with pneumonia and preventable infectious disease. (NAN)
