Gombe: Interfaith Forum on Health Promotion Inaugurated
The Gombe State Government has inaugurated an interfaith forum for health promotion in a bid to attain Universal Health Coverage. The forum is to partner with the state government in disseminating information to combat health issues in Gombe State.
Speaking on Friday during the inauguration organised in collaboration with The Challenge Initiative, Gombe State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Habu Dahiru, said the state would leverage the popularity of religious leaders to sensitise residents on emerging health challenges.
According to him, the persons in the forum would be well informed on the advantages of accessing healthcare services, due to their importance in shaping the actions of their admirers.
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Dahiru said, “We have selected topics to educate them. For instance maternal and child mortality and how it is prevented. He will take the message to his followers. People have confidence in the faith-based groups, so they listen, so when they listen, they comply and this is what we want they to comply to.”
The commissioner noted that with this collaboration, residents would be properly informed on the need to make healthy choices, stressing that the forum would not only focus on child spacing but would target increasing acceptability of immunisation, need to access medical services for delivery, to mitigate maternal and child mortality.
“To get a team that will convey very important information to the general public through the faith-based organisations. We all know that they are mentors, and teachers and they are people the followership refers to for clarification on activities, events, and other community issues.
“When we bring them together we educate them and give them insight as to the importance of the programme. On this very one, we are talking of child spacing and the importance of child spacing, benefits, and ills when it is not done.
“The interfaith forum will help us convey very useful information on the importance of immunisation, breastfeeding, antenatal care, and hospital delivery,” Dahiru added.
