Health
JICA, Ogun Government Train Health Workers To Boost Service Utilisation
By Abiodun Lawal
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Ogun Primary Health Care Development Board (OGPHCDB) have begun training of health workers to improve community mobilisation and utilisation of healthcare services.
The JICA Programme Coordinator, Mrs Ajibike Adewole, said this while speaking at the launch of the training on Wednesday in Abeokuta.
Adewole said that the programme would strengthen health workers’ capacity to help communities make informed healthcare decisions.
She noted that the initiative focused on strengthening healthcare personnel and community mobilisers and expected to contribute to Nigeria’s efforts toward achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Adewole said healthcare access would have limited impact if available services were not utilised, adding that the community mobilisation was essential to achieving UHC.
She said culture and existing social structures continued to influence healthcare choices, making it necessary to equip mobilisers with appropriate knowledge and communication skills.
According to her, participants will become state-level master trainers and subsequently transfer the knowledge to LGAs and community mobilisers.
“We are encouraging you to become social mobilisers so that you can take this knowledge down to LGAs level. You will help prepare future generations.
“You will become what we refer to as state-level master trainers, and you will then be able to train mobilisers at LGAs.
“The initial phase will cover two LGAs, while the training will subsequently be expanded to other parts of the state,” she said.
Also, Dr Esther Ogunlesi, Director of OGPHCDB, said the training had become necessary following concerns over declining utilisation of health services across all LGAs.
Ogunlesi commended JICA for its continued support for primary healthcare development in Ogun.
She said the state had infrastructure, human resources and other essential components required to provide healthcare, but inadequate demand generation remained a major challenge.
Ogunlesi said an assessment showed that mobilisers were delivering inconsistent messages, while some lacked the commitment required to effectively mobilise communities.
She said an integrated flip chart would help standardise messages, adding that mobilisers should communicate health information in local languages where necessary.
The State Coordinator, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Folarin Solape, commended JICA for its longstanding support.
Solape said JICA had provided technical and financial support for primary healthcare policies, including the Minimum Health Care Package and documents supporting healthcare revitalisation.
The coordinator added that about 20 facilities across 20 wards in Odeda and Ikenne local government areas would participate in the first phase, expressing hope that the programme would later cover all 20 LGAs. (NAN)
Edited by Fatima Sule Abdullahi