The Nigerian Red Cross Society, in collaboration with the National and State Primary Health Care Development Agencies, has commenced the training of no fewer than 35 facilitators to strengthen routine immunisation across three Local Government Areas in Anambra State.
The training, part of Phase Two of the Saving Lives and Livelihoods project, is funded by the Mastercard Foundation and supported by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
The selected Local Government Areas include Anambra West, Ogbaru, and Nnewi North.
Speaking during the training session held at the Nigerian Red Cross Society Secretariat in Awka, Senior Project Officer (NRCS), Dr Ahmad Abdulmajid, described the six-month initiative as a critical milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to improve outbreak preparedness.
“In Nigeria, the project is being implemented in 10 states; out of the 10 states, Anambra is one, and in Anambra, three local government areas have been identified.
“Overall, we want to see a Nigeria—or Anambra State—that is strong in terms of preparing to protect the general public against any outbreak that may come, and then also to prepare in case where the outbreak comes, they can be able to fight it.”
Also speaking at the event, Director of the National Health Care Development Agency, Dr Aliyu Ladan—represented by Mr Felix Ajidua from the Department of Advocacy and Communication—described the project as laudable.
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He noted that 25 data collectors and volunteers were trained on essential data collection tools and applications, including Kobo Collect and Open Data Kit (ODK), to support evidence-based programming.
“We are also training the data collectors for the three local government areas on how to build trust and good listening skills in the course of the exercise in the communities.
“Our aim is to provide orientation and align the project purpose and scope with government stakeholders at the sub-national level.”
Contributing to the session, State Health Educator at the Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Mrs Uju Onwuegbuzina, highlighted the technical and financial support provided by the partners, aimed at optimally improving routine immunisation in the targeted areas.
“So, when we create demand, the service delivery components, they will now bring out eligible children for immunisation because we don’t want any of the eligible child to be missed.
“We want all the eligible children to be vaccinated with all these vaccine-preventable diseases so that there will be no outbreak. We are training the data collectors and volunteers which the local government social mobilisation officers will supervise.
“We keep telling our society that our vaccine is safe, free and effective, so let us join hands together to prevent all these preventable diseases—especially now that diphtheria is everywhere.”
The State Branch Secretary of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Engr Kingsley Okoye, emphasised the crucial role of data collection in the fight against preventable diseases, noting that the training session marked a significant step in the Saving Lives and Livelihoods initiative.
Described as timely and impactful, the training session was attended by officials from the Primary Health Care Development Agencies, social mobilisation officers, health educators, and other key stakeholders.