Health workers from the Federal capital Territory (FCT) have benefited from the follow up on the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) training for health practitioners jointly organized by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and JICA Alumni Association of Nigeria(JAAN)
The one-day capacity workshop held in Abuja for health workers in six local government areas in FCT, is a follow up to the two-day workshop held in March for healthcare workers and disease surveillance notification Officers in on Infection, Prevention and Control.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 38 beneficiaries of the workshop were drawn from the Abaji, Kuje, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kwali and AMAC Primary Health Centers (PHC).
NAN also reports that the sub-theme for the training was ‘Sharing the Experiences for tackling with the infectious diseases in the frontline”
The Project Formulation Advisor, Health JICA, Nigeria Office, Konan Saorr, said that the objectives of the training was to build capacity of the primary health care workers to cut down on hospital acquired Infection and flatten the curve of COVID-19.
She explained that she was impressed by the energy of the participants when the workshop was earlier held in March , and was eager to do a follow up and receive feedback from the PHC health workers on the impact of the training.
“When you are in the PHC, it’s a small scale community approach, it’s a sharing sector formula, where beneficiaries replicate information with other communities ,they can help to make a difference” she said
Speaking on the essence of the workshop, the JAAN President, Ahmed Agberankhe, said that due to the pandemic, all the disease surveillance officers in these area council’s were brought together to be taught by experts on how best to handle and prevent the spread of Covid-19.
“If they get it right , everyone will get it right,they were given some start up materials to take back to their area councils at the training in March”
“Two months ago we decided to follow up ,we came to get feedback, appraisal, it’s an interactive approach to find out their setbacks and successes”
“There are certain things we take for granted, we don’t want to take chances, they are being taught how to dispose various hospital waste in the hospital environments, the experts are talking to them”
“These re-appraisal methods will spur them to improve, they will identify their individual setbacks, challenges and then improve on their methodologies” he said
Also, facility officer in charge, Garki PHC, Monica Jacob, said that she would be doing a step down training that would ensure that every member of staff understands the importance of proper waste management in her wards.
Also, the Head of Department, Maitama District Hospital, Josephine Oteri, who was a facilitator stressed on the need to employ volunteers and train them to ensure availability of adequate man-power in the health sector.
NAN reports that participants from the area council’s were given finger pulse “oximeter” and Fugaku Corona Simulation ( vinyl partition ).
Damilola Douglas, Programme Manager, distributed the materials to the beneficiaries.