Anambra Trains Health Workers on Epidemic Preparedness

To be on the guard giving the spate of Lassa fever and other epidemics outbreak in some parts of the country, the Anambra state Ministry of Health has organised a-one day training for its health professionals and facilitators across the 21 local government areas of the state. 

The training was organized to sensitise the health workers on the safety and preventive measures on epidemic and response as well as their respective roles in the management of epidemics in the state.

Speaking during the event, Director Public Health in the Ministry, Dr. Emmanuel Okafor, remarked that the workshop was meant to educate the participants on the safety precautions to employ and the usage of relevant and modern equipment involved in the treatment of a certain ailment in case of any outbreak.

He decried the old attitude of some health workers in handling infectious diseases and epidemics, which make them vulnerable to contacting such ailments, adding that ‘‘ participants will be enlightened on infection control, their roles and that of the government in epidemic control and highlights of key disease surveillance steps’’ .He lamented that, ‘‘ At times, people don’t understand what they are doing, if there is an infection or outbreak of epidemics, they use their bare hands in cleaning blood and stitching wounds which is risky and in some health centres, there is no isolation wards and so on”.

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Okafor, however noted that the health workers are major stakeholders in the disease surveillance, detection, control and management of epidemics in their various communities. For this singular reason, ‘‘health ministry considered it important to sensitise them so they can be in position to detect any incident of epidemic outbreak, manage and respond appropriately’’.

  

Rose Onyibe, the WHO zonal coordinator ,the State Vice-chairman of Red Cross Society of Nigeria, Professor Emeka Katchy; the Chief Medical Director of  UNIZIK clinic, Patrick Ezeno,  and a facilitator, Jane as well as participants commended the ministry for organising the training programme, which they described as timely

By Ebele Egoh 

(PRO, Anambra State Ministry of Health)

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