Health workers undergo BRIDGE training

[caption id="attachment_237877" align="aligncenter" width="500"] District trainer Roseline, district media officer, conducting a session with ANMs of Longleng district during the training.[/caption] Dimapur, March 10 (EMN): Auxiliary Nurse Midwifery (ANM), Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA), and Anganwadi workers under Longleng district underwent five-day training on boosting routine immunisation demand generation (BRIDGE) from February 28 to March 5. The district trainers were Roseline, district media officer, and Dr. Lirenthung Khuvung, MO RBSK. The training was aimed at enhancing the communication skills and to improve the interpersonal communication skills of the frontline health workers for boosting routine immunisation demand generation and to develop their capacity to leverage social behaviour change. Dr. Toshirenla, medical superintendent of Longleng District Hospital, stated that the frontline health workers are an essential bridge between health delivery system and the community. According to her, the health workers play a crucial role in creating awareness on adverse events following immunisation, thereby reducing vaccine hesitancy in the community. In the training the frontline workers were trained on how to mobilise the community using influencers, how to conduct effective meetings, use of IPC skills by GATHER approach, improve vaccine confidence and reduce vaccine hesitancy, how to explain AEFI to parents, how to plan for routine immunisation and supportive supervision. The participants were also asked to play the sit down game and filling up the pre and post assessment formats and making the village SBCC plan for improving RI coverage. Meanwhile, Longleng district trainers expressed gratitude to Dr. Imnameren Phom, DPO (RCH/UIP), for his presence throughout the training. It stated that the DPO, in his welcome address, encouraged and motivated the trainees. He urged them to use IPC skills and bring more children for routine immunisation. Altogether 34 Anganwadi workers, 72 ASHAs and 14 ANMs under Longleng block and 20 ASHAs, 5 ANMs and 12 Anaganwadi workers under Tamlu block attended the training.