By AWOKESON, RITA PC
The Kogi State Government, in collaboration with the Kogi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, has successfully concluded a comprehensive five-day orientation and training program for newly recruited Midwives. This initiative was made possible through the support of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF).
The training, which took place from Tuesday, October 3rd to Saturday, October 7th, 2023, aimed to equip the Midwives with the necessary skills and knowledge to deliver effective and efficient services at the Primary Health Care (PHC) level.
Renowned experts from the State Ministry of Health and the State PHCDA were carefully selected as facilitators, ensuring that the participants received top-notch training in their respective fields.
During his welcome address, Dr. Emmanuel Bola Jonah, the State’s BHCPF FP, expressed his delight at the participants’ punctuality and enthusiasm, which demonstrated their readiness to embark on their new roles.
He emphasized that the seminar’s objective was to familiarize the participants, as healthcare practitioners, with the PHC policies, operations, and best practices, enabling them to utilize their knowledge effectively.
Dr. Bola further highlighted the significant role played by PHCs in child delivery, with over 60-70% of deliveries taking place in these facilities.
He emphasized the need for additional recruits to address the shortage of healthcare workers, stating, “The more we are, the better we become.”
Dr. Abubakar Yakubu, the Executive Director of the Kogi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, congratulated the participants on their exceptional performance during the selection process, affirming their qualifications and capabilities for the job.
He urged them to be dedicated, responsible, and diligent in their duty posts, while adhering to the institution’s rules and regulations.
Dr. Yakubu also cautioned the Midwives against exceeding their scope of practice, emphasizing that certain cases require immediate referral to secondary or tertiary.
Furthermore, the Executive Director (ED) passionately urged the participants to fully immerse themselves in the communities they serve, demonstrating respect for their religious and cultural beliefs. The ED emphasized that their performance would be closely monitored at the facilities to ensure optimal results.
The comprehensive training provided the participants with invaluable insights into various crucial topics. These included an in-depth overview of the Primary Healthcare (PHC) System and Services, an assessment of the state of Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health in Nigeria, and an introduction to the National Emergency Maternal and Child Health Intervention Centre (NEMCHIC).
Additionally, the participants were exposed to high-impact intervention strategies such as REWSBA, MaNCETS, and SQUAtS.
They also learned about the importance of Reach Every Ward with Skilled Birth Attendants (REWSBA), Inter-Personal Communication/Respectful Maternity, Birth Preparedness, Partograph in the Management of Labour, Active Management of the 3rd Stage of Labour, Care of the Newborn, Resuscitation of the Newborn, Family Planning and Commodities, Optimized MNCH Week, Community Health Influencers, Promoters, and Services (CHIPS) Programme, Maternal and Perinatal Surveillance and Response (MPDSR), the Overview of the COVID-19 Pandemic, as well as Common Obstetric and Neonatal Emergencies and their Management at the PHC level.
Throughout the training, the participants actively engaged in practical sessions, gaining hands-on experience in managing common obstetric emergencies such as Obstetric Haemorrhage, Pre-Eclampsia/Eclampsia, and Obstructed Labour.
They also acquired essential skills in handling common neonatal emergencies like Birth Asphyxia, Neonatal Jaundice, and Neo Neonatal Sepsis.
Upon completion of the orientation/training, the participants expressed their satisfaction, affirming that their expectations had been met. They enthusiastically pledged to apply the knowledge gained