Village Health Workers Set to tackle Gender-Based Violence, Non-Communicable Diseases in Communities
The Life Abundant Primary (LAP) Healthcare program has brought together 43 Village Health Workers (Promoters) for a 3-day workshop at the Nkwen Baptist Center to improve access to essential healthcare in underserved rural communities. These participants, from June 19-21, 2024, acquired the skills to handle Gender-Based Violence, GBV, cases in the villages and to screen for and manage important parameters like blood sugar, blood pressure, and Body Mass Index, BMI, which will go a long way to prevent Non-Communicable Diseases, NCDs, like diabetes and hypertension.
Having witnessed many cases of Gender-Based Violence and not knowing how to fully report these, the Village Health Workers were drilled on how to identify and manage such cases, which some did not know could be classified as GBV. They also received expansive knowledge that will contribute to curbing the violence on vulnerable people (especially women and children) in the communities who find it challenging to get readily available help which comes easily to those in the urban areas, and to live healthy lives.
According to Mr. Takwe Boniface, NCDs Program Coordinator for the CBC Health Services, the lifestyles of those in the villages have gradually changed from living on natural elements to mimicking the lifestyles of city dwellers by eating junk and consuming unhealthy food and drinks. This attempt to live seemingly better lives like those in urban areas has brought about an increase in Cancer, Hypertension, and Diabetes in remote communities. In agreement with the NCDs Program Manager, Mme Nsono Josephine, Gender and Child Protection Supervisor of the CBC Health Services noted that there is a significant amount of GBV cases in the villages, which mostly go unreported because the people are either not aware of the concept or the Village Health Workers were not fully informed on how to diagnose them, thus the pertinence of the training.
Mme Angeline from Babanki is a promoter who shared her excitement about her learnings on GBV and NCDs. “This training will help me to properly assist my community, and be better at my job, so I intend to sensitize the people using their churches, quarters heads, njangi groups and I will encourage them to come to the facilities. I have also learned how to report back and refer cases which we cannot handle,” she chimed.
“There are cases of violence especially for the female gender and community workers need the knowledge and skill to be able to handle these conditions and refer to appropriate quarters because victims die in silence in the villages. They should be able to give first aid before being able to refer. For NCDs, they need to know about Know Your Numbers, KYN, a term describing a biometric health screening that provides an overview of a person’s current health, measuring parameters like blood sugar, etc” added Mr Njini George, LAP Program Administrator for the CBC Health Services.
The Director of Health Services, Mr Ngum Samuel, welcomed the participants and appreciated their efforts to provide quality care in their communities. He reminded all that the CBC Health Services began its work with vulnerable people with the leprosy center in Mbingo, therefore showing the importance of reaching out to and providing quality services to the vulnerable in far-off communities. He also emphasized Health System Strengthening, as this will drive the need for capacity building. Recalling the participants to servant leadership, he told them, “When people come to you, they should be excited about returning the next day because you are a source of encouragement to them in your small community”.
These participants will serve as focal persons in their communities which are Tumubuoh in Small Babanki, Vekovi in Jakiri, Chamkfuvene under Noni, Dumbu in Misaje, Adere in Nwa, Koata in Tibati, Mambioko of Ngambe-Tikar area, and the Esimbi localities.
