Agency The Nigerian Red Cross Society, Lagos Branch says it has trained 60 emergency response volunteers to enable them to acquire skills to curb cholera spread in communities. They were trained at a programme tagged, ‘Training of Volunteers on Risk Communication and Community Engagement for the Cholera Outbreak’, held on Wednesday in Lagos. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the programme was organised by the branch with support from the British Red Cross.
The Chairman of the branch, Mrs Adebola Kolawole, told NAN that 20 volunteers were selected from each of three different local government areas – Kosofe, Eti-Osa and Lagos Island. He said the volunteers were selected from the Red Cross divisions because cholera was more prevalent in them. The chairman said that the volunteers would go to various communities in the council areas for 20 days after the training, to engage them on issues regarding cholera.
Kolawole explained, “This intervention is to sensitise our volunteers on what they need to know about cholera. “They will go into public places – marketplace, churches and mosques, and talk to them on how to prevent more outbreaks. “They will give them thorough enlightenment, sensitise and engage them one-on-one on hygiene.
” She said that the volunteers would also enlighten community members on the need to stop buying food from roadsides, and drinks not approved by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control. The Secretary of the bra.
