By Kemi Olatunde

In an attempt towards curtailing the spread of COVID-19 in Ondo State, the State Primary Health Care Development Agency (OSPHCDA) has trained PHC coordinators on community engagement of the virus.
The exercise which aimed at reminding participants about their roles in the containment of COVID-19 took place in Akure.
Speaking at the event, Executive Secretary of the Agency, Dr. Francis Akanbiemu described community engagement as an important tool for marketing health commodity and noted that the virus which has killed several people in other parts of the world is still present in Nigeria.
Listing disease transition as one of the factor that lead to death at the outbreak of a disease, he stressed the need for all not to be carried away by the low mortality rate in the state stating that they should support its eradication.
Akanbiemu who expressed appreciation to UNICEF for its collaboration with the Agency in embarking on the exercise whiclh will last for three months, however advised participants to make their approach acceptable to the people in order to convince them and added that the people should be properly engaged.
Director, Community Health Service and Education, Dr. Samuel Abiona explained that it is important that the agreed terms and level of engagement is adhere to and noted that priority should be given to communities with cases of COVID-19.
Director, Planning, Research and Statistics in the Agency, Dr. (Mrs) Yetunde Olagbuji who described community engagement as a strategy to control infectious diseases, stated that the exercise aimed at obtaining fact about people’s knowledge and practice on COVID-19.
She explained that it has been put in place to correct certain myths and misconception about COVID-19.
She listed Akure South, Ondo West and Okitipupa Local Government Areas as beneficiaries of the survey and advised that participants work towards tg success of the exercise.
Director, Disease Control and Immunisation, Dr. Victor Adefesoye who noted that some people don’t believe in the existence of the virus, appealed to participants to take the exercise as an opportunity to carry out massive research and added that they should not interfere with findings of volunteers on the field in order to avoid information alteration.
Project Coordinator, Nigeria State Investment Project, NSHIP, Dr. Paulinus Omode stresses the need for moderators to have knowledge of COVID-19 and be vast in the people’s local language.