By Nna Anulumadu
The Anambra State Social Mobilisation and Technical Committee (SOMTEC), a United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)-assisted project domiciled in the State Ministry of Information (MOI) has embarked on the orientation of Household Interpersonal Communication Outreach teams (HIPC) on the need for disease prevention and to avoid violence against children in flood-affected communities in Anambra State.
The orientation is the second phase of the Social Behaviour Change (SBC) Post-Flood Emergency Intervention in more 16 communities from the seven flood-affected local government areas (LGAs). 50 communities from the seven LGAs benefited from the intervention in January 2023.
The communities where the sensitisation was carried out include Enugu Aguleri and Ikem Ivite of Anambra East LGA, Abegbu and Iyiora of Anambra West LGA, Umueriagu Anaku and Umuawa Ifiteogwari of Ayamelum LGA, Umuji Ebenebe and Akpulu Ugbenu of Awka North LGA, Ihiteoha Ihembosi and Nza Ozubulu of Ekwusigo LGA, Ubahudara Okija, Isieke and Umuhu Okija of Ihiala LGA, Ideke Okoti, Obolo Ogwuaniocha and Anumudu Okpoko of Ogbaru LGA.
It would be recalled that years 2012 and 2022 witnessed severe flooding which affected many communities and resulted in loss of lives and property, displaced persons living at IDP camps, consequent untold hardship and possible outbreak of diseases such as cholera, typhoid, malaria, pneumonia, and cough, among others.
The SOMTEC project desk officer, Grace Onwukwe, said: “In this phase, we are sensitising 10 persons per community from 16 other communities within the same seven flood-affected LGAs which will form HIPC outreach team members.
“They will enter house to house to create awareness, educating members of flood-affected communities on positive preventive measures they should adopt to prevent and contain the adverse post flooding effects such as diseases and infections.
“After training these HIPC outreach teams, they will in turn go back to further educate families about healthy living/hygiene habits such as effective hand washing (HW), safe excreta disposal (SED), environmental sanitation (ES), water treatment (WT) and watchfulness to prevent violence against children. It is expected that positive social behavioural change would be achieved and implemented by the community members.”
The UNICEF resource person, Chineze George-Ileka, after narrating the untold hardship that flood victims were passing through, such as not having mattresses to sleep in, thereby being exposed to pneumonia, reminded the HIPC team members that as the foot workers in their various communities they were the voice of their people and resource persons that could be trusted, and she urged them to be good examples.
“Wash your hands from your elbow regularly with soap or ash under running water. Critical times for hand washing include after visiting public places, before cooking [and] eating, [before] breastfeeding your infant, after visiting the toilet or disposing of children’s faeces.
“Also, open defecation is harmful to health because flies that perch on excreta will find their way to your food. Properly dispose even children’s faeces. Encourage every household to use a latrine or water Closet toilet which should be covered always and washed regularly.
“Keep the kitchen and surroundings clean. Dispose of empty cans and dustbins to avoid breeding mosquitoes and rats.”
She further informed them to expect the distribution of water treatment chemicals by the state government but encouraged people to always boil, cool and filter water before drinking.
The trainees were enlightened on the need for parents and guardians to stop subjecting their children or wards to unwarranted severe punishment in the name of correction.
“Parents should be discouraged from subjecting their children to child labour, thereby exposing the unsuspecting minors to sexual molestation and paedophiles just because they want to make ends meet,” she said.
