Screening the Mabushi community

Screening the Mabushi community

May 4, 2014 By admin


Community Engagement Activity – Screening the Mabushi community

DATE OF ACTIVITY: Thursday, 24th April, – Saturday, 26th of April, 2014

VENUE: Mabushi community, Abuja, Nigeria

PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity was to

  • Create awareness about cervical cancer and the need for regular screening
  • Provide grass root access to preventable health care services

METHOD/STRATEGIES:

  • Advocacy to the community leader: The community leader was informed about the community engagement project, the purpose of the project and the benefits to the community. Once he understood the project and the health implications and benefits to the community, he was instrumental in ensuring community participation. He informed the team of the best means to reach the women in the community – with the use of local town criers.
  • Engagement of town criers: The town criers went round the community with a gong to inform the women about the project and the dates that the team would be available
  • Advocacy to relevant stakeholders at the Federal Ministry of Health – Minister of Health, Director National Cancer Control Porgramme: The Federal Ministry of Health Nigeria supported this activity by providing relevant Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials. These materials included audio recordings in various indigenous languages – Hausa, and Pidgin – as well English.
  • Community Meetings on the 24th – 26th of April, 2014: The women who had been sensitized by the town criers and the community leaders gathered on the 24th – 26th of April, 2014 for presentations and health talks.
  • Use of IEC Materials: Audio and visual aids were used to make presentations at the community gathering. Presentations focused on the cause of cervical cancer, risk factors for cervical cancer, need for regular screening for women in the reproductive age group, introduction of the ACCME study, information of clinics where interested women could get screened and/or join the study. In addition relevant information on breast awareness was also presented and women were taught how to perform a self –breast exam. Other health tips on hygiene were also provided
  • Use of a Disc Jockey (DJ): A D.J was available and played the audio IEC materials to ensure that all attendees of the community meeting understood the information that was being communicated. In addition, the D.J played several popular local songs to get the attention of the community dwellers.
  • Volunteers: There were some volunteers from the National Youth Service Corps program to help out with the logistics of the activity
  • Engagement of mass media: A couple of radio/TV stations (African Independent Television- AIT and Radio Nigeria) were available to provide news coverage for the event
  • Provision of health talks and screening by certified nurses: Certified Nurses working at the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) were present to provide the health talks and offer screening for interested women. Women who were interested in participating in the research were also enrolled.
  • HIV Screening: Trained IHVN personnel were also available to offer counselling and free HIV testing.

ACHIEVEMENTS:

  • Approximately 110 women attended the health presentations
  • 110 women were tested for HIV with 8 positive results.
  • 75 women consented to participate in the ACCME study and were enrolled.
  • 28 women opted for the VIA/VILI based cervical cancer screening
  • 7 women did not wait to be screened
  • The awareness program was further expanded by the media coverage as the program was aired on local TV and radio




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