By Terna Chikpa
The West and Central Africa Health Options (WCAHealth), in collaboration with the Taraba State Ministry of Health, on Saturday graduated 60 community youths and leaders as Sexual and Reproductive Health Champions through its Comprehensive Care and Essential Support Services (ACCESS) programme.
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that the 60 trained champions were drawn from Lau and Zing Local Government Areas of the state.
Presenting facilitation materials to the champions at the end of a three-day intensive training in Jalingo, Mr Ibrahim Sheye, the lead facilitator and Taraba Coordinator of WCAHealth, said the programme was designed to tackle barriers to accessing accurate sexual and reproductive health information among adolescent girls.
“ACCESS is a Government of Nigeria programme implemented through the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMoHSW), the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp), with support from implementing partners.
“Nigeria continues to face significant adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) challenges, including limited access to accurate information, stigma surrounding reproductive health services, harmful social norms and weak community-to-facility referral pathways.
“While investments in health facilities remain critical, evidence shows that improving adolescent health outcomes also requires trusted community actors who can engage young people where they live, learn, socialise and seek support.
“The trained champions will become frontline community advocates, helping to create enabling environments where adolescents can access accurate information, make informed decisions and connect with appropriate services.
“Through community dialogues, awareness sessions, referrals and stakeholder engagement activities, the champions are expected to reach thousands of adolescents, parents, caregivers and community influencers in the two LGAs,” he said.
According to him, the training covered adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH), community mobilisation and advocacy, stigma reduction and social norms transformation, and community dialogue implementation.
Sheye said the initiative complements other ACCESS programme interventions, including the ‘Big Sister’ Mentorship Model, community engagement activities and adolescent-friendly health service strengthening efforts.
“By investing in young leaders within communities, the programme aims to build sustainable local ownership and strengthen the social support systems that influence adolescent health outcomes,” he said.
He also noted that the Community Youth Champions training was conducted in Benue, Enugu and Taraba states, with 60 youths participating in each state, bringing the total number of champions trained to 180.
Sheye said the Managing Director of WCAHealth, Dr Ufouma Omo-Obi, believes that young people are often the most influential voices among their peers.
“As we equip 180 Community Youth Champions across Benue, Enugu and Taraba, we are building a network of community leaders who can drive informed conversations, reduce stigma and connect adolescents to the information and services they need to thrive,” he quoted Dr Omo-Obi as saying.
Meanwhile, Mr Alhaji Usman Isa, the Youth and Adolescent Focal Person at the Taraba State Primary Health Care Development Agency, while facilitating a session on Behaviour Change Communication, urged the champions to communicate effectively in order to positively influence adolescents towards desired behavioural outcomes.
Other facilitators, including Mrs Joyce Haruna, Mrs Prudence Oke and Miss Joy Adams, urged the champions to work together to prevent gender-based violence, stigmatisation, unsafe abortion and other social ills in their communities through the dissemination of accurate information.
Speaking on behalf of the champions, Malam Hassan Muhammed commended the organisers for the training and pledged that they would work hard to reduce maternal mortality in their communities.
PERISCOPE NIGERIA also reports that the champions comprise religious leaders, community leaders, health workers, among others.