An International donor partner, Save the Children has trained National Youth Service Corps NYSC members on pneumonia infection and other related child killer diseases in jigawa state.
Speaking at the opening session during the training in Dutse, the Chief of Party Integrated and Sustained Childhood Pneumonia And Infectious Diseases Reduction In Nigeria INSPIRING, Dr Isa Adamu, said the program was aimed at expanding their scope of engagement in the fight against Pneumonia.
Dr Isa, represented by the jigawa state communication officer, Save the children, Mr John Akor explained that the project was funded by Glaxo Smith Kline.
He said the prospective health workers, Corps members were selected for the training to enable them carry out the campaign during their community service and beyond.
Dr Isa pointed out that, the training include how to protect, identity and control pneumonia as well as seeking appropriate medication to reduce the menace of the disease on Nigeria.
He said the campaign against pneumonia which was the first kind of intervention in Nigeria is operating in Lagos and Jigawa states.
According to him, from 2018 to date agency trained hundreds of community volunteers, health workers and other key stakeholders on Pneumonia Infection, Prevention and Control.
He noted that for years Pneumonia had been killing children without being listed among major child killer diseases.
The Chief said to bring out the endemic scourge of the disease, save the children choose Lagos being a metropolitan state and Jigawa as a rural state for their pilot intervention and also shows that the problem can be addressed in all states of the federation.
Also Speaking, the Jigawa state NYSC Coordinator Hajiya Aishatu Adamu commended Save the Children for engaging Corps members in the campaign against child killer diseases.
According to her, promoting integration, peace, development and survival of every Nigerian are among the cardinal principles of the scheme and certainly the fight against Pneumonia is within the scope.
The coordinator assured Save the Children that NYSC members would deliver a good job in the fight against pneumonia and other child killer diseases.
Some of the corps members who participated during the training expressed appreciation to Save the Children for the gesture.
COV/USMAN MZ, JIGAWA