The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Benue Ministry of Health have trained midwives, tutors and other healthcare professionals to strengthen responses to sexual and reproductive health emergencies and gender-based violence.

The five-day Training of Trainers (ToT), held in Makurdi, focused on equipping frontline health workers with skills to provide life-saving services during humanitarian emergencies.

Danladi Idrisa, acting humanitarian coordinator, UNFPA Nigeria, said the training was designed to strengthen participants’ capacity to respond effectively to emergencies.

Mr Idrisa said participants were trained on GBV prevention, coordination, clinical management of rape, treatment of sexually transmitted infections, and emergency maternal, neonatal and obstetric care.

He said other areas included prevention of unintended pregnancies, contraceptive access, emergency planning, survivor-centred care and protection against sexual exploitation and abuse.

Mr Idrisa said women and girls were particularly vulnerable during humanitarian crises, adding that more than 600,000 internally displaced persons were currently in Benue.

He urged participants to develop action plans for integrating the knowledge acquired into the Midwives College of Nursing Sciences curriculum and other institutions, ensuring that future professionals gain life-saving emergency skills.

He said participants would be linked to global rosters for emergency deployment, while UNFPA had provided commodities and pledged support for campus protection protocols and curriculum development.

In his remarks, the commissioner for health and human services, Paul Oguche, described the training as timely, given Benue’s humanitarian challenges.

Represented by Joshua Agbadu, director of public health, Mr Oguche said displacement, clashes and flooding had exposed vulnerable groups to sexual violence, harmful practices and exploitation.

He said participants gained knowledge on GBV in humanitarian settings, rape management, psychosocial support, referral pathways, documentation and coordination with protection actors.

Mr Oguche described participants as “GBV champions” and urged them to apply their knowledge in creating safer health facilities and communities across Benue’s 23 local government areas.

He pledged continued provision of post-rape kits, post-exposure prophylaxis and psychosocial support, urging healthcare workers to treat survivors with empathy, confidentiality, dignity and without stigma.

Victoria Gusa, Provost, Midwives College of Nursing Sciences, Makurdi, described the training as timely and valuable to the institution.

Ms Gusa said the college would establish a committee to enable students to report sexual exploitation, harassment and abuse, noting that such incidents existed but were often not reported.

She said the institution would also develop effective policies to prevent and address gender-based violence within the college.

Regina Chichi, director of pharmaceutical services, said insecurity and displacement had increased GBV challenges and weakened reporting channels.

Ms Chichi commended UNFPA for providing training, commodities and tools needed by health workers to apply the knowledge acquired.

Leonard Viashima, director-general, Bureau for International Cooperation and Development, called for greater investment in pre-service training to ensure graduates possessed relevant skills before entering the workforce.

Mr Viashima suggested structured “boot camps” for graduating midwives and healthcare professionals to bridge gaps between classroom learning and professional practice.

He urged the ministry of health and training institutions to take ownership of such programmes instead of relying solely on development partners.

Donald Akpenna, a participant, said the training had exposed participants to sexual and reproductive health challenges affecting people in displacement camps.

Mr Akpenna pledged that tutors would use the knowledge gained to train future healthcare workers on respect, confidentiality, safety, security and non-discrimination.

He said participants were committed to applying the lessons from the training to improve healthcare services for vulnerable populations in Benue.

The training was organised by UNFPA in collaboration with the Benue Ministry of Health and Human Services and other stakeholders. 

(NAN)