Ibrahim Suleiman
The National Institute of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, NIPHID, Zaria, has commenced a five-week training programme for 55 Local Government Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Supervisors.
The Director-General of the Institute, Dr. Abdullahi Aminu Dalhatu, disclosed this at the opening of the Batch 83 training course held at the Institute in Zaria.
Dr. Dalhatu said the capacity-building programme was critical to strengthening Nigeria’s response to tuberculosis, leprosy and Buruli ulcer, particularly at the grassroots level.
He explained that the training was designed to equip participants with the knowledge and practical skills required to effectively coordinate control activities for the three diseases in their respective local government areas.
According to him, the five-week programme will cover four major areas, including clinical tuberculosis, leprosy, monitoring and evaluation, and supervision.
The Director-General urged participants to actively engage with facilitators and colleagues, share experiences and build professional networks that would support them beyond the training.
He also charged them to dedicate themselves fully to the programme and return to their respective local government areas with improved capacity to strengthen TB, leprosy and Buruli ulcer services.
Declaring the training open, the National Coordinator of the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme, Dr. Clem, urged the participants to regard the programme as a serious professional responsibility.
He said their selection was based on their previous experience in providing TB, leprosy and Buruli ulcer services, noting that the training would prepare them for greater responsibilities as programme managers and supervisors.
Dr. Clem urged the participants to use the knowledge gained to identify disease cases that might otherwise be missed and develop effective strategies for early detection and treatment in their local government areas.
Earlier, the Head of Training at NIPHID, Zaria, Dr. Jaya Chitum, said the participants constituted the third batch of Local Government TB, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Supervisors to undergo training since the establishment of the Institute.
She said the programme would strengthen their knowledge, technical competence and practical skills for managing the diseases in their respective states and local government areas.
The five-week training is being conducted in two streams and has attracted participants from Kaduna, Katsina, Benue, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States.