UNICEF, SOMTEC Sensitize Flood Affected Communities on Disease preventive Measures
By Uzo Ugwunze
Anambra State Social Mobilization and Technical Committee (SOMTEC), a United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) assisted project domiciled in the State Ministry of Information (MOI) has embarked on the orientation of Household Interpersonal Communication Outreach teams (HIPC) on the need for disease prevention and to avoid violence against children at flood affected communities in Anambra State.
The orientation is the second phase of the Social Behavior Change (SBC) Post Flood Emergency Intervention in more than 16 communities from the seven flood-affected Local Government Areas (LGAs). In the first phase, Fifty (50) communities from the seven (7) LGAs benefited from the intervention in January 2023.
The communities where the sensitization would be carried out include Enugu Aguleri and Ikem Ivite of Anambra East LGA, Abegbu and Iyiora of Anambra West LGA, Umueriagu Anaku and Umuawa Ifiteogwari of Ayamelum LGA, Umuji Ebenebe and Akpulu Ugbenu of Awka North LGA, Ihiteoha Ihembosi and Nza Ozubulu of Ekwusigo LGA, Ubahudara Okija, Isieke and Umuhu Okija of Ihiala LGA, Ideke Okoti, Obolo Ogwuaniocha and Anumudu Okpoko of Ogbaru LGA.
It could be recalled that year 2012 and 2022 witnessed severe flooding which affected many communities resulting to loss of lives and properties, displaced persons living at Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps, consequent untold hardship and possible outbreak of preventable or non preventable diseases such as cholera, typhoid, malaria, pneumonia, cough among others.
According to the the SOMTEC Project Desk officer, MOI, Mrs Grace Onwukwe, in this phase, we are sensitizing 10 persons per community from 16 other communities within the same seven flood affected LGAs which will form HIPC outreach team members.
“They will enter the house to house to create awareness, educating members of flood-affected communities on positive preventive measures they should adopt to prevent and contain the adverse post-flooding effects such as diseases and infections.
“After training this HIPC Outreach teams, they will in turn go back to further educate families about healthy living/hygiene habits such as Effective hand washing (HW), Safe excreta disposal (SED), Environmental sanitation (ES), Water treatment (WT) and watchfulness to prevent Violence against children. It is expected that positive social behavioral change would be achieved and implemented by the community members”.
The unicef resource person, Mrs. Chineze George-Ileka after narrating the untold hardship which flood victims were passing through such as not having mattresses to sleep in, thereby being exposed to pneumonia, reminded the HIPC team members that as the foot workers in their various communities they were the voice of their people and resource persons that could be trusted. “Your people believe and understand someone they know more than an outsider”.
“You are trained to talk to people about preventive measures to curtail spread of diseases which could result as an aftermath of flooding. Be an example and start practicing these preventive measures before teaching others”, said Mrs. George-Ileka.
“Wash your hands regularly with soap or Ash under running water. Cross your fingers while handwashing, wash your nails and wash up to your elbow. Critical times for hand washing include after visiting public places, before cooking, eating or breast feeding your infant, after visiting the toilet or disposing children’s faeces.
“Also, Open defecation is harmful to health because flies that perch on excreta will find its way to your food. Properly dispose even children’s faeces. Encourage every household to use a latrine, pour flush or Water Closet toilet which should be covered always and washed regularly”.
“Concerning environmental cleanliness, Keep the kitchen and surrounding clean. Dispose empty cans and dustbins to avoid breeding mosquitoes and rats.”, said Mrs George-Ileka
She further informed them to expect the distribution of Water treatment chemicals by the State government but encouraged people to always boil, cool and filter water before drinking.
The trainees were enlightened on the need for parents and guardians to stop subjecting their children or wards to unwarranted severe punishment in the name of correction.” Parents should be discouraged from subjecting their children to child labor thereby exposing the unsuspecting minors to sexual molestation and paedophiles just because they want to make ends meet”.
The HIPC team members were clustered and trained in 3 locations: Ekwusigo LGA Headquarter, Ozubulu, Anambra East LGA Headquarter, Otuocha and Ebenebe Civic Center, Obuno, Awka North LGA respectively.
In addition to people in the entourage who were part of the sensitization activities include the UNICEF program officer, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Anambra State MOI Directors of Information, Administration and Account, State and LG Health Educators, Data Processor, NOA Community Mobilization Officers (COMO) at all the 7 LGAs and the media.
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