The World Health Organization (WHO) said it’s collaborating with Yobe state government, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) among other key partners to strengthen the capacity of healthcare workers on response to Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in emergencies.
WHO Public Health Officer, Dr. Ibrahim Audu Salisu, who represented the Acting Emergency Manager in the Northeast, Nigeria, Dr. Isaac Boateng, disclosed this at a training organised for stakeholders in Damaturu, the state capital.
He said World Health Organisation is providing interventions at various levels for the state to achieve its healthcare coverage.
“At the Higher level, we are building the capacity of government officials in the state ministry of health to develop relevant policies and guidelines for use, as for the frontline service delivery level, we are targeting healthcare workers with various training and capacity building. WHO is also providing necessary resources to work effectively.
“At the community level, we are looking at the survivors themselves by providing them with psychosocial support, treatment and referral to secondary level where necessary,” he said.
Salisu, also explained that apart from the provision of access to justice, training on mental health, psychosocial support for the survivors, the WHO has deployed mobile health teams who are working in remote areas to identify cases of GBV.
The Commissioner of Health, Dr. Lawan Gana, who was represented by the Director Public Health, Dr. Hauwa Larai Goni, said WHO was one of the reasons for their successes, haven provided them with support such as training and clinical consumables especially during emergencies.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Yobe, ASP Dungus Abdulkarim, while seeking community support, disclosed sexual gender-based violence was the major capital offence the Police is facing especially among the minors.
He however told participants that with the effort of key partners, there has been little reduction in the third quarter compared to the second quarter of the year 2020.
Despite the challenges of non-opening up by some survivors, investigations at Damaturu Sexual Referral Centre SARC indicates 104 cases were recorded between January-September, 2020.
The training drew the participation of healthcare workers, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Traditional Leaders, Civil Society Organizations, Religious leaders as well as other stakeholders.
