The Federal Capital Territory Administration on Friday inaugurated a multi-sectoral Risk Communication and Community Engagement team to strengthen response to public health emergencies.

The team was inaugurated in Abuja on Friday at the end of a two-day workshop organised for members of the team.

Members of the team were drawn from different secretariats, departments and agencies, media, religious bodies, civil society organisations, and non-governmental organisations.

The team is saddled with the responsibility of responding to public health emergencies and interacting with communities across the six area councils of the FCT.

The RCCE team is also expected to bridge the gap in communication, community engagement, research, and establish a structure for sharing and documenting best practices on public health emergencies.

Speaking during the inauguration, Permanent Secretary, Health Services and Environmental Secretariat, FCTA, Dr Babagana Adam, said that the strategy would empower communities with critical information of public health concerns.

Represented by Dr Obanewa Olayinka, the Director, Special Duties, Mr Adam said the move would address grey areas in the implementation of One Health Concept in the territory.

He described the One Health Concept as an integrated and unifying approach designed to sustainably balance and optimise the health of people, animals and ecosystems.

According to Mr Adam, Risk Communication and Community Engagement is a two-way communication, rumour control and participatory engagement, designed to support communities in mitigating disease outbreaks and reducing their impact.

He added, “There is, therefore, the need to empower communities across the FCT, through comprehensive community engagements with adequate feedback mechanisms, using bottom-up approach.’’

Also speaking, the Director, Public Health Department, Dr Doris John, said that FCT was the first among the 36 states of the federation to set up the team in the country.

John was represented by the FCT Epidemiologist, Dr Theresa Nwachukwu.

He explained that the team was set up after a Joint External Evaluation rated FCT’s capacity to respond to public health emergencies below 50 per cent, adding that the multi-sectoral team would be equipped to respond to any kind of public health emergency in the FCT.

He assured members of the team of the Public Health Department support to enable them to succeed in the tasks.

On his part, Senior Health Education Officer, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Michael Okali, said that with the RCCE team in place, response to emergencies and approach to community engagement would be done with one voice.

(NAN)