NGO, Taraba graduate 60 youths as sexual health Champions to tackle stigma, unsafe practice

By Godwin Agia, Jalingo

The West and Central Africa Health Options (WCAHealth) in collaboration with the Taraba Ministry of Health, on Saturday in Jalingo, graduated 60 community youths and leaders as Sexual Reproductive Health Champions through its Comprehensive Care and Essential Support Services (ACCESS) programme.

PEOPLE’SDAILY reports that the 60 trained Champions were drown from Lau and Zing Local Government Areas of the state.

Presenting the facilitation materials to the champions at the end of a three- day intensive training in Jalingo, Mr Ibrahim Sheye, the lead facilator and Taraba Coordinator WCAHealth said the programme was designed to tackle barriers to safer sexual reproductive health information by adolescent girls.

“ACCESS is a Government of Nigeria programme, implemented through the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMoHSW), the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and Sector Wide Approach (SWAP) with support from implementing partners.

“Nigeria continues to face significant adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) challenges, including limited access to accurate information, stigma surrounding reproductive health services, harmful social norms, and weak community-to-facility referral pathways.

“While investments in health facilities remain critical, evidence shows that improving adolescent health outcomes also requires trusted community actors, who can engage young people where they live, learn, socialise and seek support.

“The trained Champions will become frontline community advocates, helping to create enabling environments where adolescents people can access accurate information, make informed decisions, and connect with appropriate services.

“Through community dialogues, awareness sessions, referrals and stakeholder engagement activities, the Champions are expected to reach thousands of adolescents, parents, caregivers and community influencers in the two LGAs,” he said.

According to him, the training covers adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH), Community mobilisation and advocacy,
stigma reduction and social norms transformation and
community dialogue implementation.

Sheye said that the initiative complemented other ACCESS Programme interventions, including the ‘Big Sister’ Mentorship Model, community engagement activities, and adolescent-friendly health service strengthening efforts.

“By investing in young leaders within communities, the programme aims to build sustainable local ownership and strengthen the social support systems that influence adolescent health outcomes,” he said.

He noted that the community youth Champions training was conducted in Benue, Enugu and Taraba, where 60 youths per state participated, making up a total of 180 champions in the three states.

Sheye noted that the Managing Director of WCAHealth, Dr Ufouma Omo-Obi believed that young people were often the most influential voices among their peers.

“As we equiped 180 community youths Champions across Benue, Enugu and Taraba, we are building a network of community leaders, who can drive informed conversations, reduce stigma, and connect adolescents to the information and services they need to thrive.

Alhaji Usman Isa, Youth and Adolescents Focal Person, Taraba Primary Health Care Development Agency, while facilitating a session on behavioural change Communication, told the champions to ensure that they communicate effectively to influence the adolescents for a desired outcome.

Other facilitators, including Mrs Joyce Haruna, Mrs Prudence Oke and Miss Joy Adams told the champions to work together to prevent gender based violence, stigmatisation, unsafe abortion and other social ills in their communities through the right information.

Malam Hassan Muhammed, who spoke onbehalf of the champions, commended the organisers of the training, saying that they would work hard to reduce maternal mortality in their communities.

PEOPLE’SDAILY also reports that the champions comprises religious leaders, community leaders, health workers among others.