PPFN trains health workers on value-based communication

By Ikenna Osuoha

The Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN) has commenced training of healthcare workers on value-based communication to address the issue of hesitance in receiving COVID-19 vaccine.

Dr George Swomen, PPFN Access Project Coordinator, said this during an interview with newsmen in Abuja.

Swomen said that the training was part of the activities to review communication strategy of healthcare workers.

“We as an organisation cannot overemphasise the need to train and retrain healthcare workers. The quality of service delivery depends on the quality of healthcare workers we have.

“This will also help to increase the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine in Nigeria. One of the key aspects is to review the value-based communication of our health workers,” he said.

The medical practitioner said that the hesitance in accepting COVID-19 vaccine depended much on the communication strategy of health workers.

According to him, communication of health workers can either make people take the vaccine or dissuade them.

Swomen, who identified vaccine hesitancy as a function of myth and ideations, said COVID-19 vaccine was safe and efficacious.

“The health worker should address himself or herself to the following: Vaccine hesitancy is real; it comes from an unsure face; I will understand why he is hesitant.

“I will provide correct answers if it is due to misconception; I will try to correct the misconception,’’ he said. (NAN)