KWSPHCDA, UNICEF Train Health Workers on IPC, AFP Surveillance, Outbreak Response

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The Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KWSPHCDA), in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has trained health workers on interpersonal communication (IPC), Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) surveillance and outbreak response.

The one-day training was held on Tuesday at G-Pinnacle Hotel & Suites, Ilorin, with the aim of strengthening the capacity of frontline health workers in effective communication, community engagement, polio surveillance and timely response to disease outbreaks.

Declaring the training open the Executive Secretary, KWSPHCDA, Prof. Nusirat Elelu, stressed the importance of strengthening the capacity of health workers with the knowledge and communication skills required to effectively engage individuals, families and communities in support of primary healthcare interventions.

The Executive Secretary who was represented by the Director, Primary Health Care Systems, Dr. Michael Oguntoye, noted that effective communication and meaningful community engagement remain critical to building trust, addressing concerns and ensuring that eligible children are reached with life-saving immunisation and other essential health services.
Dr. Oguntoye also facilitated two key sessions during the training. He took participants through “Polio – Key Facts and Why This Training Matters” and “Roles and Responsibilities of Health Workers; Common Reasons for Missed Children.” 

The sessions provided participants with practical understanding of polio, the importance of their roles in surveillance and immunisation activities, as well as factors that may contribute to children being missed during vaccination exercises.

Also speaking, the UNICEF Social and Behaviour Change Consultant Specialist, Country Office, Dr. Noma Owen, encouraged participants to pay close attention to the training and understand the importance of effective communication in their day-to-day responsibilities.

Dr. Owen urged the health workers to see themselves as agents of change, noting that improved communication skills would enhance their engagement with communities and make them more effective in the discharge of their professional duties.

The lead facilitator, Prof. Salaudeen Adekunle of the University of Ilorin, took participants through the process of community engagement, using practical exercises and role-play sessions to demonstrate effective approaches to engaging individuals and communities.

Prof. Adekunle also emphasised the importance of effective messaging and behaviour change, stressing the need for health workers to understand their audience and communicate health information in ways that encourage positive and informed decisions.

Other sessions focused on polio key facts, community engagement principles and processes, interpersonal communication, effective messaging and behaviour change, handling difficult conversations and managing rumours, AFP surveillance, and outbreak response support.

The sessions were facilitated by experts from UNICEF, the World Health Organisation (WHO), AFENET and KWSPHCDA.

Participants are drawn from Ilorin South, Ilorin East, Ilorin West and Moro Local Government Areas, with each LGA providing eight participants comprising health facility personnel, programme officers, representatives of the LGA Nurses Association and LGA Community Health Extension Workers (CHEW) Association.

The training also features pre and post-training assessments to measure participants’ knowledge and understanding before and after the sessions.

Bukola Abdulganiyu
Press Secretary 
KWSPHCDA
07069144440

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