Child Right Activist Begins Empowerment Of Health Workers,In Delta

By Mattex Omonext, Delta

 

Determined to impact on the people, a child right activist, Comrade Ighorhiowhunu Aghogho has commenced the training of health workers and professionals on child’s right in hospitals across Nigeria.

 

He began the training/seminar with a handful of health workers/professionals in line with line with the United Nation’s Convention of the Right of the Child 1989 and the Child Right Act 2003,in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area.

 

Aghogho said the training/ seminar is aimed at educating the health workers/ professionals on the International Convention on the Right of the Child 1989 being a treaty where Nigeria appended her signatory for the overall interest of the Nigerian Child.

 

He stated that,”The Committee on the Rights of the Child, in its General Comment Number 15 on the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health (Article 24 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, hereafter right to health), interprets children’s right to health “as an inclusive right, extending not only to timely and appropriate prevention, health promotion, curative, rehabilitative and palliative services, but also to a right to grow and develop their full potential and live in conditions that enable them to attain the highest standard of health through the implementation of programmes that address the underlying determinants of health.

 

“Significantly, it also recognizes not only the importance of children’s right to health to the enjoyment of other rights and to children’s achievement of their full potential, but also the dependency of the right to health on the realization of other rights. Children’s rights must be realized in all of children’s life settings.

 

“That Children’s stay in hospital – as any direct contact of children with the public system – can be regarded as an opportunity to enhance children’s rights, to address the underlying determinants of health and contribute to children’s overall well-being and development.”

 

While noting that the aim of the training is to present the results on the assessment of the respect of children’s rights in all hospitals in Nigeria, Aghogho added that it also aimed to draw recommendations and identify specific actions for improvement to both health providers and the Ministry of Health (Ministry of Health) by taking into consideration the State’s responsibility and the role of health care services, in line with the respect, protection and fulfillment of children’s right to health.

 

Aghogho also tackled some parental rights as well during the event which lasted a few hours.

 

He insisted that parents/wards have a fundamental role in promoting the overall healthy child development through early diagnosis of diseases, educating against risky behavior, teaching healthy eating habits, stimulating learning and enhancing children’s capabilities.

 

He also suggested that parents/carers should be seen as a partner during children’s hospitalization, their support should be sought and they should be given all information and instruments to be aware of how they can best take care of their child.

 

“This includes educating parents/carers on how to take care of a child with a specific illness (including chronic diseases and disabilities), raising awareness where parents’/carers’ behaviour is bad for their child (i.e.smoking), amongst other skills.”

 

Present in the training/seminar is a Child Right Doctor, Dr(Mrs) Nwajei Ifeanyichukwu A. and her health team who were issued certificates of Participation.

 

The training/seminar will cut across all hospitals within and across the country.