A popular drama group in Bauchi, Yanke Yanke Production, says it is partnering the Bauchi state Government and Non Governmental Organisations to strengthen healthcare delivery in the state.
The Chairman of the Group, Alhaji Danlami Adamu, stated this at the lunch of a project titled “Da Haihuwa Tara yu yu yu” (giving birth to nine children without a proper plan) in Bauchi on Saturday.
According to him, the group through their participation in event preparation, creation of awareness, education and advocacy campaign will be used to influence and increase knowledge.
“With persuasive communication, geared towards public policy, personal behaviour and attitude change, political, public debate and legal change that will improve health status of the state.
“That is why we are collaborating with the state government, stakeholders and relevant NGOS to obtain better understanding of the role of palliative care in reducing pain and suffering, improving quality of life and restoring dignity of patients and family members across the state.
Adamu explained that this could be done through the stage drama and music with broad approach that involves engaging all key stakeholders ranging from policy makers, care providers, educators, the public, patients and families.
“The main focus of the engagement to address some core interventions geared towards improving knowledge, awareness, strengthening skills and attitudes about palliative care.
“These interventions include educating health and allied healthcare professionals on the palliative care-related problems of patients and best practices for care, explaining palliative care such as a HIV, AIDS, child birth spacing, Immunisation, clinical and holistic discipline and demonstrating its effectiveness,” he said.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Zuwaira Ibrahim, represented by Director Administration, Alhaji Habibu Yelwa, stressed the importance of the collaboration with the drama group in the state.
“The artistic nature of drama must entertain and as a channel for entertainment it can be strategically exploited for educative purposes. In other words, what drama does is to take the human social incidents and present them as something that needs an explanation and is not to be taken for granted.
“As such constructive criticism from a social point of view is highly encouraged because it mirrors the social issues of its time.
“The issues arising from safe motherhood such as improved family planning utilization, safe delivery, and access to quality and appropriate health care and ante natal care are all social issues within our communities that affect women and drama as an art of social relationships has the potential of changing behaviour,” she said.
Ibrahim assured effective partnership between the state government and the group on awareness campaign, Advocacy and sensitization of general public on palliative and health care delivery in the state.
On his part, the Chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Inuwa Bello, charge the group to make effective use of the partnership to promote health status of the state.
“Make good use of your skills and talent to sensitize policy makers and the public on improving the health system for effective coverage in the state,” Bello said.
