The Borno State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (BOSCHMA), in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), has organized a one day sensitization training for its staff on cholera prevention and community awareness as part of efforts to strengthen public health interventions across Borno State.
The training was designed to equip staff members with the knowledge and skills required to detect and effectively educate communities on cholera prevention, early detection, and control measures.
Speaking during the training, Mallam Hamza Umar, Assistant Public Health Officer (APHO) representing WHO, delivered a comprehensive presentation on cholera prevention.
He outlined the causes, modes of transmission, symptoms, and preventive measures associated with the disease.
He stressed the importance of maintaining proper hygiene, ensuring access to safe drinking water, practicing regular handwashing with soap, and improving environmental sanitation as critical measures for preventing cholera outbreaks.
In a separate presentation, Dr. Sandabe A. K., WHO Assistant Public Health Officer (APHO), spoke on effective community sensitization strategies.
He emphasized the importance of clear communication, community engagement, and behavioral change initiatives in promoting public health.
He encouraged participants to become advocates for healthy living by sharing accurate and timely information within their respective communities.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of BOSCHMA, Dr. Saleh Abba Kaza, urged staff members to translate the knowledge gained from the training into practical community action.
He described cholera as a serious public health threat and called on staff to use the knowledge gained to protect themselves especially as the frontliners in health sector and also to intensify awareness campaigns by educating community members on the causes, symptoms, dangers, and preventive measures associated with the disease.
Dr. Kaza also noted that BOSCHMA has already taken a leading role in cholera prevention through sustained awareness and promotional campaigns conducted across communities and various media platforms as part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives.
He reaffirmed the agency's commitment to supporting government and partner-led public health interventions aimed at safeguarding the health and well-being of residents across the state.
The sensitization training forms part of BOSCHMA's broader commitment to strengthening community awareness, promoting preventive healthcare, and reducing the risk of cholera outbreaks throughout Borno State.