Some participants that benefited from the training in a group pictures
In its sustain efforts to strengthen the health system in Borno State, the United Nations Population Fund Agency (UNFPA) in collaboration with the Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN) has launched a unique USSD CODE tagged “Text4life”, to report cases of gender-based violence, medical emergencies and other health issues, to facilitate prompt intervention by professionals.
Speaking at the two-day training for the programme in Maiduguri on Saturday, the Focal Person of PPFN, Hadiza Umar, said the USSD code is 347161# and it is free, user-friendly which would not require the use of a smart phone to access.
According to her, the project for Maiduguri Metropolitan and Jere Local Government funded by UNFPA is part of COVID-19 project for civil society organisation engagement
Umar said participants for the project included all heads of 34 primary healthcare centres in Maiduguri Metropoltan and Jere Local Government as well as five persons from each community in the affected LGAs including youth and women leaders.
She urged the participants to ensure maximum use of the opportunity to ensure that the COVID-19 pandemic does not affect effective healthcare delivery, particularly in area of reproductive health.
Binta Mustafa, the Facility Manager of Gomari Ward Primary Healthcare Centre, and her counterpart, Yagana Modu of Gwange 111 Ward, lauded the training which they said would enhance their services to more patients including GBV.
“Some patients of GBV that doesn’t want to come out can use this opportunity to text us for urgent attention,” Modu said.
Also speaking, another participant, Fati Galadima, said the training was a big boost and that better results should be expected.
Galadima said some challenges that could affect the project were identified and would be forwarded to relevant stakeholders for necessary action.
