FCT health workers sensitised on measures to control epidemic prone diseases

Ukpono Ukpong, Abuja

The FCT Administration yesterday trained some front-line health workers drawn from the six FCT Area Councils on measure to handle Lassa Fever, Corona Virus and other five other epidemic prone diseases in the territory.

The drilling took place at a one day residential training/sensitisation of FCT Area Council monitoring and evaluation, immunisation and surveillance officials seven epidemic prone diseases.

The Acting Secretary, Health and Human Services Secretariat (HHSS), Alh. Musa Abdulraheem, in his address said it’s important to train, refreshed and fortified the front line health workers with knowledge on identification and reporting of epidemic prone diseases in the FCT as they are mainly at the risk of contracting diseases.

Speaking further, Abdulraheem, who was represented by Director Special Duties, Dr. Matthew Ashikeni, reiterated the Secretariat’s full commitment and support for the Public Health Department and area councils, to not only ensure prevention of epidemic prone diseases but attain universal health coverage.

“Building the capacity and updating health care workers on the importance of disease surveillance, notification, efficient and prompt management of cases is key in controlling these diseases.

“Sensitisation and awareness creation of the communities on these diseases is also crucial if we must achieve disease control and eradication, in order to maintain a healthy society free of infirmity.

“I highly commend and appreciate the Public Health Department for taking the lead in organising this training M&E officers, DSNOs, their assistants, the LIOs across the six Area Councils of FCT,” he stressed.

He pledged the Health Secretariat’s unalloyed support towards ensuring a healthy FCT populace free of diseases and provision of universal health coverage to all and sundry.

Earlier in her welcome remarks, Director, Public Health Department of the FCTA, Dr. Josephine Okechukwu, said the Department consider the programme apt and necessary, in the wake of recent outbreak of epidemic prone diseases in the world.

She urged the participants to effectively utilise and step down the knowledge acquired to their colleagues and other stakeholders in different communities of the FCT.