NGOs undertake intervention in Plateau communities

Mathew Delkes

Concerned by misinformation about Covid-19 vaccine and the recent ravaging impact of cholera especially in rural communities in Plateau state, ConnexUs in collaboration with Assist the Poor Foundation undertook a mobilization campaign for Covid-19 vaccine rollout and prevention of cholera outbreak in the State.

The intervention which was funded by the European Union had the theme “Combating Misinformation and Building Trust: The Role of Stakeholders” and took place on July 28 and 31, 2021 at Tatu village in Heipang District and Angwan Baki, a suburb in Jos South LGA respectively, bringing together traditional and community leaders, religious leaders, women and youth leaders, political leaders and other stakeholders in the communities.

Speaking in the various communities in a language they understand, a medical expert, Catherine Kangyang Choji took time to debunk the rumours going round on social media that those who took the vaccine will die in 2 years and that a bulb can be lit or a metal or phone can stick when placed where a person is vaccinated saying it is unfounded as it has been tried and proved wrong.

She encouraged the pubic to ensure hygienic leaving and boil water from open sources such as streams and rivers while urging them to build toilets to avoid open defecation. According to her, vomiting and diarrhea are the basic symptoms of cholera which is deadly when not given urgent medical attention calling on them to immediately seek medical attention once someone is having such symptoms.

The Director, Primary Health Care, Barkin Ladi, Ngo Garos Dungo who was visibly excited thanked the NGOs for collaborating to create awareness in the most vulnerable communities in the state where cholera especially, which is preventable, is ravaging their lives due to ignorance saying “we have had rising cases of cholera from Tatu and Heipang villages recently and we were preparing to come for awareness campaign in these communities.”

She urged the people to adhere to Covid-19 prevention protocols and avoid contracting cholera saying things were difficult for them as such expending on what is preventable was unwise and would further add to the hardship they were facing.

In their separate remarks, Gwom Tatu, Da Gyang Sok and Gwom Tuffa, Da Gyang Daja, expressed gratitude to ConnexUs and Assist the Poor Foundation for the community engagement saying they were a population that predominantly lack access to news and social media thereby relying on second hand information which leaves them with no option for discernment.

Speaking with our correspondent in an interview, the Executive Director/Chief Executive, Assist the Poor Foundation, Mr. Abuh Emmanuel noted that the organization has been undertaking intervention programs such as community engagements, stakeholders’ intervention and advocacy since its inception in 2020.

He explained that the misinformation about the covid vaccine is a serious drawback to the fight against covid especially with the new delta variant which is more deadly saying an outbreak will be devastating as the communities lack basic health care facilities. He noted that the vaccines are safe and prevention key.

Mr. Yahaya Kurutsi Shimfe, ConnexUs influencer for change and Senior Programme Manager Assist the Poor Foundation tasked participants to step down the information in Churches, Mosques, schools markets saying they targeted stakeholders specifically “because we know they have so much influence on their subjects, whatever they say is taken seriously and it is obvious that we cannot assemble everybody, so the stakeholders will step down this message,” he said.

According to him the number of persons who turned out for the event in the communities where it was held shows that the people were hungry for information about covid-19 and cholera prevention while expressing optimism for a change of behaviour towards covid-19 pandemic and cholera outbreak.

He noted that ConnexUs is a global platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing with presence in Iraq, Lebanon, Namibia, Nigeria and so many countries of the world, which was the brainchild of Search for Common Grounds and funded by the European Union.

Highlight of the events included talks, demonstrations on how to wash hands properly and how to appropriately apply hand sanitiser, presentation of buckets and soaps to schools, Churches, Mosques and markets for hand washing while face masks, hand sanitisers and handbills were distributed to all who attended.