By Terna Chikpa, Jalingo
The West and Central Africa Health Option Ltd/Gte (WCAHealth), a non-governmental organisation, in partnership with the Federal Government and the Taraba State Government, on Friday concluded efforts aimed at curbing maternal mortality among young women in rural communities of Taraba State.
Periscope Nigeria reports that the partnership graduated 20 “Big Sisters” trained in sexual and reproductive health education. The participants were drawn from 20 wards across Lau and Zing Local Government Areas to help address the growing concerns among young women in rural communities in the state.
Dr. Tukura Nuhu, Executive Secretary of the Taraba State Primary Health Care Development Agency, disclosed during the training that the initiative was driven by concerns over the high rate of maternal mortality in the state.
According to him, research has shown that Taraba is among the states with the highest rates of maternal mortality, largely due to issues affecting adolescent girls.
He urged the Big Sisters to serve as mentors to younger girls, bridging the gap between parents and adolescents by providing comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education.
“Nigeria is battling a high rate of maternal mortality, and Taraba is one of the most affected states due to issues involving adolescent girls. That is why the Big Sisters model is necessary,” he said.
Mr. Ibrahim Sheye, Taraba Coordinator of WCAHealth, urged the Big Sisters to take their responsibilities seriously in order to help save lives in their communities.
Sheye explained that research indicates many maternal deaths occur among adolescent girls, often due to unsafe abortions and risky behaviours.
The coordinator, who also served as the lead facilitator, commended the Federal Government for funding the programme, noting that it would significantly reduce avoidable deaths of mothers and babies.
“The major role of the Big Sisters is to interact with younger girls, earn their trust, and make referrals where necessary to hospitals for proper care.
“They are also expected to dispel myths and misconceptions about reproductive health by building relationships that encourage openness,” he said.
Sheye added that the pilot phase of the Big Sisters model is being implemented in eight states, including Benue, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Ekiti, Kebbi, Taraba, and Zamfara.
Our correspondent reports that the participants were trained on menstruation, sexually transmitted infections, contraception, mentoring, provision of youth-friendly services, and gender-based violence, among other topics.
Miss Joy Adams, one of the facilitators, while speaking on “Values and Principles of Youth-Friendly Services,” urged the Big Sisters to maintain confidentiality in order to build trust with the girls.
Mrs. Prudence Oke, another facilitator, while delivering a session on “Do No Harm,” advised them to ensure their actions do not expose the girls to further risks.
She stressed the importance of providing accurate information on sexual and reproductive health to prevent harm caused by misinformation.
Faiza Muhammed, one of the participants, expressed happiness over the training and pledged to use the knowledge gained to protect younger girls in her community.
Similarly, Florence Jonah commended the organisers for introducing the life-saving initiative.
She pledged to work diligently to ensure that the future of young girls in her community is safeguarded by providing them with accurate reproductive health information.
Job well done!
I pray this initiative comes to Gombe State too especially the rural villages