Despite the successful treatment and discharge of all the 18 COVID-19 cases in Taraba State, the Centre for Initiative and Development (CFID) has cautioned both the state government and the technical committee on the virus to put s hold on celebration.
The group has recommended that more energy be spent strengthening the capacities of all concerned groups and organisations in the forefront of halting the spread of the virus.
The group made its position known during a one-day capacity-building session for non-governmental organisations (NGOs), health workers, faith-based organizations, women, youth groups, community service organisations (CSOs) among others, in Jalingo, the state capital, on Friday.
The Chief Executive Officer, CFID, Danjuma K. Adda, said the training was aimed at enhancing capacity of state and non-state actors on Covid-19 prevention, surveillance and mitigation strategies in Taraba State.
Adda underlined the need for all hands to be on deck, in order to increase increase knowledge on the current use of personal protective equipment and for managing patients with Covid-19 at home and in hospital through virtual health education and printed guidelines.
“We need people to understand the overarching principles in risk communication and public health messaging during outbreak, prevention and response efforts. We cannot cease from adhering to the precautionary measures, despite the non-active case in the state.
“We want our people to be familiar with the tools and approach to communication and messaging that can be used to inform the public and highlight those most likely to be used in differing COVID-19 outbreak setting in media platforms,” Adda said.
He admonished the public to desist from stigmatising persons with the virus and assured that participants would be made to be aware of the impacts of stigma in COVID-19 outbreak and approach to reduce the stigmatisation during public health communication messaging.
In his presentation, the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo, Dr. Peter Teru, urged everyone to endeavour to disseminate the knowledge they acquired during the training to the public, in order to maintain the present zero case of the virus in the state.
