Bayelsa Govt, UNFPA trains frontline workers in flood-prone LGAs

On Nov 25, 2023

The Bayelsa Government, in collaboration with UN Population Fund (UNFPA), has trained frontline health and social workers in flood-prone local government areas for integrated service provision during emergencies.

The five days training of trainers in Yenagoa which ended on Friday, was aimed at improving response in flood-prone areas.

The Bayelsa Commissioner for Health, Dr Pabra Egwele, said that the training was to educate the workers about Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

He commended the UN for the training and promised to organise another training for others in their facilities in case of any problem or case of emergency.

Represented by Dr Toyin Azebi, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Egwele said the ministry would collaborate with Ministry of Women Affairs for more enlightenment programmes.

He said the training was to enlighten health and social workers about the kind of treatment they should offer to those who were sexually abused and the right counselling.

The commissioner also urged the trained workers to step down knowledge acquired to other workers who did not attend.

On his part, Dr Ibrahim Adamu, the Consultant with UNFPA, said that the essence of the training was to empower key stakeholders about GBV and other sexual reproductive services to offer during emergencies.

He said “as you know, a state like Bayelsa often experince flood and during this period, cases of sexual and reproductive issues are of great concern. Individuals need to be empowered to be able to provide competent services and also assist people affected by disasters. The training targeted medical personnel like doctors, nurses and midwives, as well as social workers from state and federal agencies.”

In her speech, Mrs Atanu Naweimi, the Gender Desk Officer in the Ministry of Women, Children Affairs, Empowerment and Social Development, said the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act of 2015 was domesticated in the state in the past two years.

“This is a law that protect survivors of GBV, an improvement over all the other existing laws, the Child Rights Act, widow, widower law that have already been passed. We have gender response initiative team which was inaugurated in the state and members are at the forefront of gender initiatives. We work with other ministries to carry out our jobs too,” she added.

NAN/Wumi