By Chigozie Chukwuleta
The ANAYD two day nonresidential training for health workers on inclusivity has ended in Awka with a call on government to provide adolescents and young persons in their diversities a youth friendly health centers across local government areas.
Participants and stakeholders at the training workshop agreed that provision of such facilities will help reduce stigmatization, improve acceptance,. adherence, status disclosure, mental health state and access to health care.
According to the Program Manager Ms Juliet Obiajulu, the training was hinged on promoting Inclusivity and Human Rights in healthcare settings.
The two day intensive training enriched the knowledge base of participants on creating Inclusive Health care environment, Promoting Inclusivity in healthcare settings, Health Rights, Health literacy in healthcare, Basic facts about HIV trainings among others.
In her closing remark, the program manager, Ms Juliet Obiajulu thanked participants for quality participation and enjoined them to replicate the resources gathered in their various facilities and communities for improved friendly health care services to adolescents and young persons in their diversities.
Highlights of the training included, role playing scenarios, group activities to address real world situations, application of human rights principle to health care etc.
Speaking to Newspathfinder after the program, Ms Amaka Chisom of the Human Rights Commission who described the ANAYD project as enlightening said the program geared towards educating healthcare providers on the need to make their facilities accessible for AYPs to get effective medicare came at the right time.
Paul Uchenna Aniobi, a member of Key Population Secretariat said their community is grateful to ANAYD for the training as it was engaging bringing to the fore issues AYPs face in health facilities and ways to address them.
He called for more of such trainings believing that it will help improve the health of young people living with HIV.
The Anambra state Coordinator, Association of Positive Youth Living With in Nigeria (APYIN), Mr. Francis Nwankwo said that the workshop is set out to ensure health care workers understand the need to provide KP friendly services in their facilities.
Mr Nwankwo who is also the national secretary Network for Rights and Community Inclusion (NERCI) said the training will help them scale up quality health deliveries for Key Population and young persons.
Also speaking, Mrs Angel Nebo of the Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital said the training helped in updating information about caring for the adolescents and young persons.
“Other things learnt included, dealing with stigma, discrimination, human sexuality, Human Rights, prejudice as it relates to care of adolescents and young persons”,
“Voluntary counselling and testing techniques were not excluded. Compliance and adherence when it comes to antiretroviral medications were also discussed”, she said.
A Clinical Specialist, Dr Chinonso Nwosu of OSS, AHNI Anambra state described the training as beneficial to all participants as it is all encompassing particularly the aspect of offering services to HIV clients.
“The training offered highlights on ways to offer services to young persons and HIV clients whole heatedly. Other teachings in what we need to know about HIV and treatment were educative and helpful”.
Dr Tonia Mbagwu of SASCP, Ministry of Health promised to ensure that health facilities across the state are Adolescents and Young Persons friendly and the issue of user fee by adolescents and Young Persons will be addressed
