The two capacity-building trainings were supported by Nutrition International (NI) in collaboration with the Katsina State government

An NGO, Society for Women Development and Empowerment of Nigeria (SWODEN), has trained about 250 Community Health Volunteers and Health Service Providers (CHV/HSP) in Katsina State.

SWODEN also organised a 2-day training for 110 male motivators as part of the implementation of its Gender/Behavior Change Intervention (BCI) project.

The state's SWODEN programme officer, Tajuddeen Ma'aruf, disclosed this during a training session for the CHV/HSP in Katsina.

According to him, Nutrition International (NI) supported the two capacity-building trainings in collaboration with the Katsina State government.

He said the refresher training for the CHV/HSP was to update their knowledge of male involvement in maternal health.

Mr Ma'aruf added that the aim was to enable them to continue with community sensitisation, outreaches, house-to-house visits, and men's support groups sensitisation.

"It is also for them to be able to sensitise youth groups and counselling, at both facility and community levels, for women to be accessing Antenatal Care (ANC) and Iron and Folic Acid (IFAs) uptake.

"To address some gender gaps, men were also sensitised on ways to empower the women on accessing other health care services around them," Mr Ma'aruf said.

He further commended the volunteers' commitment during the training and the success stories they shared from the field.

Similarly, Sani Umar, the NI state Coordinator, thanked the volunteers and urged them to continue the good work.

According to Mr Umar, much must be done to address maternal health in the state and Nigeria, hence the need for all stakeholders to join hands.

SWODEN is a civil society organisation focusing on women, girls, and young people.

It designs and provides innovative and quality health, educational, economic development and social protection services to its target groups. (NAN)