By Ohikwo Muhammad

Healthcare personnel at the rural areas have been advised to avail themselves of knowledge and skills that improve their response to disease outbreaks.

Kogi State Commissioner for Health, Doctor Abdulazeez Adams gave the advice at the opening of a three-day Surveillance Training of Local Government Area, Rapid Response Teams in Lokoja.

The three-day training organized by Kogi State Ministry of Health in partnership with World Health Organisation, WHO, under the COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Project, COPREP is holding simultaneously across five locations.

They include Anyigba, Idah, Kabba, Okene, and Lokoja which is hosting nine participants each from Ajaokuta, Kogi and Lokoja Local Government Areas.

Declaring the training open, Kogi state Commissioner for Health, Doctor Abdulazeez Adams said the training was apt as the state government was focusing attention on primary healthcare delivery.

According to Doctor Adams, once government is able to address the concerns of health at the primary level, you would be able to address over 50% of healthcare challenges in any society.

He pointed out that Governor Usman Ododo’s administration has placed priority on health and that Kogi would be ranked among the best across the country.

The Commissioner implored the participants to give the training all the seriousness it deserves as it would strengthen the capacity of the LGA health personnel.

Mr Taiye Arujojoye and Mrs Victoria Daniel who are participating in the training expressed optimism that the programme would impact positively on participants’ capabilities during public health emergencies.

In a remark, Kogi State Epidemiologist and COPREP Coordinator, Doctor Ojotule Austin highlighted the objectives of the programme to include ability to conduct rapid risk assessment and effective community engagement by participants.