By Onwa Ekor
Social mobilisation officers at the recently concluded training of trainers, have been charged to disseminate only the right message while ensuring that duty bearers continuously display accountability.
Chairman, Cross River chapter of Nigerian Red Cross Society, Associate Prof Valentine Eneji, gave the charge during a Training of Trainers (ToT) on Communication and Community Engagement/Social Behaviour Change (RCCE/SBC) for immunization life course approach held in Calabar, the Cross River capital.
Eneji maintained that the charge was imperative as when there is a distortion in the presentation of facts, there is bound to be a misinformation and wrong signal leading to people carrying the wrong message.
The training was organised by the Nigerian Red Cross Society, in collaboration with the state Primary Healthcare Development Agency under the Saving Lives and Livelihoods (SLL) phase 2 project.
It aims at strengthening public awareness, countering misinformation and promoting positive behavioural change on adult immunization through effective communication and media engagement.
DG, Cross River Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Vivian Otu, remarked that the training of Social Mobilisation officers remains important as they would be saddled with awareness skills to reduce the myths and misconceptions associated with new vaccines especially as the state rolls out measles rubella soon.
Engaging participants on ‘Crisis communication and infodemic management,’ a senior project officer, Healthcare, Nigerian Red Cross Society, Dr. Abdulmajid Ahmad, urged trainers to create and maintain trust, acknowledge and communicate even in uncertainty and be transparent in all dealings.
Ahmad also enjoined participants to be proactive in public communication, involve and engage those affected, use integrated approaches, build national capacity and support national ownership.
Earlier while offering insights on the objectives of the training, representative of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Mrs Fatima Ibrahim, affirmed that it would build capacity on advocacy, communication and social mobilisation, as well as social behaviour change strategies, for demand creation.
She added that the training seeks to enhance participants skills in community engagement, media risk communication and misinformation management.
Other objectives Ibrahim pointed out were; to improve understanding of monitoring evaluation, reporting tools and feedback mechanisms, promoting peer learning, networking and practical skills.
The event which was interactive also featured an overview of the 2025 integrated campaign for measles rubella, routine immunization, polio, Human papilloma virus, malaria and Neglected tropical diseases, including communication game and interpersonal communication skills for health workers.
