USAID Breakthrough Action Nigeria builds capacity on malaria, TB, COVID-19

USAID Breakthrough Action Nigeria (BAN) has organised a two-day training for 34 Faith- Based Organisations (FBOs) and leaders on malaria, Tuberculosis, and COVID-19 to ensure they influence individuals in the community to seek prompt treatment for tuberculosis, malaria and COVID-19 at the grassroots.

Director Public Health, Oyo State Ministry of Health, Dr Olubunmi Ayinde stated myths and misconceptions are still rife in the community on tuberculosis, malaria and COVID-19 and the faith-based organisations and leaders were expected to help tackle and people to assess better health care in the communities.

Dr Ayinde, who described the faith-based organisations and leaders as key gatekeepers in their communities, said they also need to know what to do and not to do with regards to these diseases of public health significance and health facilities to access treatment in their communities.

Programme advisor for USAID Breakthrough Action Nigeria (BAN), Mr Oluseyi Akintola, in his lecture on the role of religious leaders and Faith-based organisations on health, said dilapidated medical infrastructures at the Primary Healthcare centres, inadequate health commodities and other suppliers, poor health seeking behaviour and ignorance were gaps that religious leaders and FBOs can help to bridge to have a healthy community.

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He urged that they continue to promote sleeping inside insecticidal nets, pregnant women register early for antenatal care and take sulfa- doxine-pyrimethamine, as an Intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy, facilitate discussion about TB and completion of its treatment and facilitate discussion on COVID-19 and its vaccines in their sermons.

Earlier, the Oyo State Team lead for USAID Breakthrough Action Nigeria, Mrs Oluwatoyin Afachung said the training was to provide orientation for FBOs on the current burden and control efforts related to malaria, Tuberculosis, COVID-19 and other diseases and highlight their roles and responsibilities.