WHO Conducts COVID-19 Risk Communication Awareness To 90,000 Yobe Residents

The World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with Yobe state government has undertaken Covid-19 House-to-House risk communication awareness to over 90,000 residents of the state in an effort to curb the spread of the deadly Corona virus disease in the state.

Mr. Muhammad Shafiq, WHO Emergency Manager, Health Emergencies Programme, represented by Doctor Ibrahim Salisu, a Public Health Officer revealed that it was intended to sensitize the larger populace of the society who may not have access to information through the mainstream and social media.

“We are working closely with the Yobe state Ministry of health to meet the covid-19 response across all the pillars, in addition to the ongoing risk communication programme such as radio and television jingles and motorist campaigns”.

“We have also deployed teams of community health champions who are working to improve community sensitization in the second wave of the pandemic. In the last one month alone, we have reached out to more than 90,000 people with covid-19 prevention messages” he said.

According to Mr. Shafiq, WHO is also providing the necessary technical support for the state government in health system strengthening so as to mitigate the challenges of covid-19 pandemic.

The World Health Organization is currently undertaking the strengthening of the state’s surveillance system and has donated 400,000 Information Education Materials, built capacity of health workers on Gender Based Violence, trained doctors on covid-19 clinical management, supplied assorted drugs and provided psycho-social support for covid-19 survivors.

Yobe state which recorded its covid-19 index case on April 30, 2020, now has 390 confirmed cases with 9 deaths across its 17 local government councils as at Sunday, April 25, 2021.