Health
THE Lagos State Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the EpiC Project, has organised a workshop on Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) for stakeholders to strengthen public health emergency preparedness and response
The RCCE orientation workshop is designed to strengthen localised public health responses, counter misinformation, and improve grassroots health literacy regarding infectious diseases.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event took place at Ikeja on Monday.
Speaking during the event, Prof. Auwalu Kawu, Associate Director, Risk Communication and Community Engagement, Epic/FHI 360 Project, said the organisation had supported many health projects in the past including maternal and child nutrition.
Kawu said Epic Project was ready to provide every support needed and collaborate with Lagos State Government and stakeholders in managing infodemics and public health crisis.
He commented Lagos State government for always being eager to partner and collaborate with stakeholders in carrying out projects.
“We are providing support, partly financially. Let’s work together and see where the Lagos State government will take over,” he said.
Mrs Hannatu Bello, Head Department Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), said the interest of the workshop was centered on safe public health.
According to Bello, the workshop would ensure the utility of preventing, detecting, and responding to diseases of public health interest, as well as their hazards.
She said NCDC would always focus on public health interest.
“Every stakeholder will be included, everyone needs to be onboard for us to carry the mantle together and be involved in coordination and collaboration”, Bello stated.
Mr Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, Director Public Affairs, Ministry of Health and Head of RCCE, Lagos, said risk communication and community engagement was beyond mere conversations.
Ogunbanwo stated that risk communication required proactiveness during emergencies.
” I have been involved in risk communication since 1999, we have a lot of responsibilities, and we need to work as a team to tackle emergencies and handle the public.
“Our priority is to communicate very well, and reach out to the grassroots,” he said.
Also speaking, Dr Yazeed Omotayo, Head, Public Health and Emergency Preparedness and Response, Directorate of Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health, said the workshop would ensure health security, a healthy state.
According to Omotayo, it would identify and map out stakeholders and ensure communication and know resources available.
He said RCCE workshop was connected to global health security.
“In disaster management, the impact of every disaster is at the grassroots level.
“It is very important that we have stakeholders from all tiers to sit down and map what we have, identify our gaps and then we know how to move ahead”, he said.(NAN)
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Tags: EpiC project lagos