The World Health Organisation (WHO) is partnering with the Yobe State government to train 40 doctors, nurses and midwives on clinical management of rape and intimate partner violence, in its quest to provide proper care for survivors of Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
Speaking at the training in Damaturu, the state capital, Mr Muhammad Shafiq, the World Health Organisation Emergency Manager, Health Emergencies Programme who was represented by the National Consultant on gender-based violence, Dr Inigbehe Oyinloye, said the effort was to build the capacity of the healthcare providers during emergencies.
Dr Inigbehe said: “We carried out some assessments in Yobe health facilities that are providing gender-based violence services and realised that among the health workers, there was poor capacity building. In order to close the gap and ensure the health sectors are strengthened to provide these services, we are equipping them to be able to have holistic care for the survivors.”
Dr Mohammed Lawan Gana, the Commissioner for Health in the state, who was also represented by the Director Nursing Services in the Ministry, Abdullahi Danchuwa, disclosed that Yobe State had recorded over 700 GBV related cases within the last two years and advocated for a holistic approach to ending the menace.
“Based on the data we have across the six Sexual Assault Referral Centres of the state, over 700 cases of GBV primarily either rape cases or intimate partner that has been reported,” he said.
The commissioner, while commending WHO for assisting the state with developmental policies and programmes, provision of capacity building to health workers as well as provision of medical consumables across the state, said more collaborations with government, parents, as well as donor agencies, need to be put in place so as to end the increasing challenge.
Some of the participants who spoke to newsmen explained the training had given them better insights into managing the GBV survivors.
They, however, enjoined the state government to assent to the Violence Against Persons’ Prohibition law that was signed into law in 2020 by the Yobe State House of Assembly so as to allow quick dispensation of justice for the survivors.