Project CHAMP administered holistic healthcare services on 217 residents of the Gishiri community during an outreach programme in Abuja.
The outreach ended the six-day maiden edition of the ‘Community, Holistic Wellness, Arts, Medicine and People Empowerment’ (CHAMP) workshop, which trained and networked 27 community and healthcare workers from across the country on how to administer holistic healthcare to patients, most of whom are first responders, before they are treated by the doctor.
Members of the community were tested for malaria, blood pressure, blood sugar, and Hepatitis, and their general stats, like weight and temperature, were noted before consulting with the doctors. They also participated in a dance/movement activity alongside a counselling exercise for those experiencing stress.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP, Jocelyn Lee of Heart of Care Providers, co-partner of Heartist Foundation, the project’s initiator, said the outreach is a practical application of all that the beneficiaries – nurses, doctors, community healthcare practitioners, community engagers and artists- learnt throughout the week.
“The idea is not for them to just say, “Oh! I learnt something today.” We wanted this to be about them coming up with their project, pulling efforts together and thinking more about, ‘how does all of this come to play?” Whether it is about organising research, or putting together an outreach to communities, we want them to think, “What aspects should we think about before doing it. We hope this stimulates them to continue the work they are doing,” said a happy but exhausted Lee.
Speaking of their experience of CHAMP, the beneficiaries recounted lessons learnt and what they are taking back to their communities.
Creative Youth Leader and Community Arts Practitioner, Daniel Bako, said the programme taught him the importance of people over brand.
“What I am taking away from here as a practitioner is to lead with empathy when you engage with people. It is their needs first before whatever idea or concept you have. For me, that is what it means to be a true changemaker.”
A matron and expert in women’s healthcare, Mrs Felicia Ibe, said the workshop impacted not only her practice but also her health. The healthcare provider with 34 years of experience said participating in the various movement activities at the workshop relieved much of her arthritic pain. Hence, she will be taking that artistic approach to medicine to her antenatal practice.
“I have not really been incorporating the arts into my care practice. When many women come around to the hospital and complain to me, I often counsel them, advise them to pray, or administer medication if needed.
“But moving our bodies is also a part of healing. I intend to incorporate this movement aspect of the training in our antenatal care service, because we haven’t been doing enough. Now, it’s going to be a routine for them.”
Another veteran in healthcare outreach, Dr Samuel Chikak, said the programme not only motivated him to do more outreaches but also to tailor holistic healthcare to underserved and unreached communities.
While commending the project’s success, Ibe and Chikak recommended areas in the pilot programme that can be improved. These include surveying communities before embarking on an outreach, incorporating other areas of discipline, and providing a programme of activities for participants to benefit from and better prepare for every session.
“I think there is a need to incorporate farmers and water resource personnel into the programme. For nutrition purposes, which was addressed briefly, sourcing food directly from the farm to the table is necessary. There is a need to create awareness on food sourcing, processing and blending classes of food for a healthy and balanced diet. If they can get involved nutritionists and dieticians to teach about that, I think that would make a difference. Many Nigerians fancy the Western diet of snacks and junk food, thinking it’s the best.
“I think they can also involve the water resource sector, educate them on the importance of providing purified and clean water to the public.
“On the outreach, they need to be more organised. They need to provide a wider range of test kits on malaria because we had just one type of kit, that didn’t cover all the various types of malaria that most residents of Gishiri exhibited.
“If you don’t have the test kits to capture what they have, you cannot really say you have tested that person,” urged Ibe.
Corroborating Ibe’s observation, Dr Chikak recommended carrying out a survey of communities before embarking on an outreach.
“I believe there are illnesses general to Nigeria. However, there are also issues specific to particular areas or places. A survey will enable them to find out the prevailing illnesses in a particular area, thus they will be more prepared with the relevant drugs needed.
In addition, he recommended that “facilitators and content should be tailored to the participants in attendance. There is a need to have a programme of sorts, of what activities for the duration of the week are like. I think this is the maiden edition, and they would improve on this. It will help participants be better prepared for each session. They would research and come with their questions, and not have to spend the time they are meant to be processing what they have learnt, thinking about questions to ask.”
