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The Kwara State Government has reiterated its commitment to strengthening integrated healthcare service delivery across the state to promote healthy living and protect residents from communicable diseases.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Amina Ahmed El-Imam, stated this on Monday during the opening of a three-day Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) training workshop organised by Jhpiego in collaboration with the Ministry of Health under the Advancing Integrated Health Services Delivery for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and Communicable Diseases in Nigeria Project.
Represented by the State AIDS Programme Coordinator, Dr. Muhammad Rasheed, the commissioner described the training as timely and essential to the state government’s efforts at building a responsive and accessible healthcare system.
She said the workshop was aimed at equipping health workers and stakeholders with the knowledge and strategies needed to improve healthcare delivery at Primary Healthcare Centres across the state.
According to her, the AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq-led administration remains committed to programmes and policies that will improve access to quality healthcare services, especially for women, adolescents, vulnerable groups, and rural dwellers.
El-Imam stressed the importance of integrated healthcare services in addressing communicable diseases, reducing preventable deaths, and improving reproductive health and community wellbeing.
She commended Jhpiego for supporting the state government in healthcare delivery and capacity building, urging participants to maximise the opportunity provided by the training.
The commissioner added that the knowledge acquired during the workshop would improve service delivery and contribute to better health outcomes for residents of the state.
Speaking at the event, the State Team Lead of Jhpiego, Williams Awotunde, underscored the need for integrated healthcare services for Nigerians seeking care at Primary Healthcare Centres.
He explained that the training was designed to ensure that vulnerable groups, adolescents, and young people have access to comprehensive healthcare services, including treatment and care for tuberculosis, hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, malaria, sexually transmitted infections, antenatal care, and family planning services.
Awotunde disclosed that similar programmes were being held simultaneously in Anambra, Gombe, Ebonyi, and Kwara states.
He added that Asa, Moro, and Offa Local Government Areas were selected for the programme in Kwara, with five healthcare facilities chosen from each council area.
Also speaking, the State Health Educator at the Kwara State Ministry of Health, Jibril AbdulKarim, identified socio-cultural, economic, physical, and health system challenges as major barriers to social behavioural change.
He noted that addressing such barriers requires people-centred solutions built on proper understanding of the beliefs and realities of the communities.
In her remarks, the Community Engagement Officer of Jhpiego, Sharon Gabriel, identified knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy, social norms, emotions, and environmental factors as key determinants of social behavioural change.
She called for positive attitudinal change among residents to encourage greater acceptance of integrated healthcare services through behavioural change initiatives.
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