No fewer than 500 women have been sensitised on sexual and reproductive health rights, communicable diseases, and maternal healthcare during the annual women’s convention of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) held at the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Centre in Gombe State.
Recall that the Johns Hopkins Program for International Education in Gynecology and Obstetrics (Jhpiego), in partnership with the Kishimi Shelter and Care Foundation, is implementing a 10-month project titled “Integrating Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights and Communicable Diseases” in Gombe State. The project is funded by the Global Fund through the National AIDS and STIs Control Programme (NASCP).
Speaking during the convention held by WOWICAN, the State Team Lead of Jhpiego in Gombe State, Ibrahim Nenge, said the sensitisation was aimed at improving women’s knowledge of available healthcare services and encouraging them to seek timely medical attention.
According to him, “Part of our work is to ensure sensitisation of women regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as communicable diseases. What we did basically was educate them on adolescent services, cervical cancer screening, the importance of attending antenatal care, and other RMNCAH services.”
Nenge noted that many women are unaware that such services are available in health facilities across the state.
“A lot of women do not even know that those services are actually available. So this is a very good avenue to use a large gathering of women from across the 11 local government areas of the state to pass these key messages to them,” he said.
On expectations following the sensitisation, he expressed optimism that participants would utilise available healthcare services.
“Our expectation after the sensitisation is that we will see them going to health facilities to seek these services. We expect them to go for voluntary cervical cancer screening, attend antenatal care, ensure they deliver in health facilities, and encourage adolescents to seek healthcare services as appropriate,” he added.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of Kishimi Shelter and Care Foundation, Grace Samuel, said the programme was designed to encourage women to prioritise their health and that of their children.
“We came basically to sensitise the women on the need for them to take care of themselves and how to take care of their children. We are looking at sexual and reproductive health issues, rights, and communicable diseases,” she said.
Samuel lamented that many people take their health for granted and fail to know their status regarding diseases such as HIV and hepatitis.
“A lot of us take these things for granted. Many of us don’t even know our status as far as HIV is concerned, as far as hepatitis is concerned, and many other ailments. I know that treatment becomes easier when discovery is made early. That is why we came to sensitise and encourage the uptake of these services,” she stated.
She clarified that the programme focused solely on awareness creation and did not include medical testing or treatment services.
“We just gave them information because we will not take the job of the health facilities. The Gombe State Government has primary healthcare centres and tertiary facilities where these services are available. We encourage them to go there to obtain the services they need,” Samuel explained.
Delivering her final message to the women, she emphasised the importance of maintaining good health.
“My final message is that health is wealth. If they are healthy, then they can be wealthy,” she said.
Participants at the convention were drawn from the 11 local government areas of Gombe State and were encouraged to take advantage of available reproductive health and disease prevention services in their communities.