A national-level team has commenced a two-day training for healthcare workers in preparation for the state's upcoming Food Bank Programme.
The Director General of the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency (CRSPHCDA), Dr Vivien Mesembe Otu, stated that the training aims to equip healthcare personnel with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively support the programme and ensure beneficiaries receive appropriate nutritional and health-related services.
Dr Otu noted that the selected health workers are from Calabar Municipality, Ikom, and Ogoja Local Government Areas. She explained that participants will be trained on proper beneficiary screening and identification of health and nutritional needs during the programme.
The CRSPHCDA boss urged the health workers to actively participate and listen attentively to the facilitators, stressing that the exercise is a serious capacity-building session, not a time for levity. She encouraged participants to fully utilize the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills required for the successful implementation of the Food Bank Programme.
The Director of Nutrition at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Victoria Adebiyi, stated that the programme primarily focuses on addressing the nutritional needs of malnourished children aged 0–6 years, as well as pregnant women and lactating mothers. She explained that the intervention is designed to identify vulnerable beneficiaries and provide the necessary nutritional support to improve their health and well-being.
Dr Adebiyi further emphasized the critical role of health workers, noting that proper screening and identification of beneficiaries are essential to ensure the intervention reaches those most in need. She urged participants to pay close attention during the training and effectively apply their new knowledge during the rollout.
The Principal Medical Officer of the NPHCDA, Dr Philippa Odiaka, trained the healthcare workers on the proper use of Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) tapes to screen children for acute malnutrition. She demonstrated the correct measurement procedure for identifying children who may require further assessment and nutritional intervention.
Dr Odiaka stressed the importance of accuracy during screening, emphasizing that precise measurement is essential for correctly identifying malnourished children. She encouraged the health workers to adhere strictly to prescribed guidelines and ensure every beneficiary is properly assessed before enrollment.
Other participants at the training included UNICEF Nutrition Specialist Dr Ngozi Onuora, CRSPHCDA Director of Nutrition Dr Winifred Ogar, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer Mrs Bassey Edet, BHCPF Desk Officer Princess Ekaette Ekpenyong, and other relevant stakeholders.
By Offiong Itang
