Over 60 Young Advocates have graduated from the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services(CBCHS), on December 7th 2019, to better raise awareness amongst the population to adopt healthy lifestyles.
These Youths from different works of life have gained skills through a training session provided by the CBCHS from August 20th to December 6th, which provided them with the ability to better sensitized the population on Non Communicable Diseases(NCDs).
The General Supervisor for NCD Prevention and Control Program with the CBC Health services, Dr. Epie Njume says the Unit took interest in training these Youths on NCDs because the burden of NCDs are high, given the prevailing situation in the Northwest Region.
"The CBCHS has noticed following the patients' attendance, the plight raised is mostly about NCDs which is on the rise and the burden is high. This is inline with the global trends which makes these NCDs on the rise. " Dr Njume.
The just ended Young Advocate for NCDs Prevention and Control 2019, aims at involving and engaging youths to fight against NCDs, reason why the unit trained Youths between 18 and 35years.
The program coordinator says the youths proved their worth during the training exercise through their Assessments.
"we gave the youths information in NCDs, risk factors and also build their capacities in producing projects that can impact the lives of the people in the community to prevent NCDs, and help orientate those already living with NCDs" Dr Epie Njume.
"we hope as the training ends, they have learnt a lot which reflected in their assesmment and we also had them design projects which can be funded and executed as early as next year" he added.
The Young Advocates for Prevention(YAPs) of NCDs received Certificates and amongst them, 7 YAPs received prizes for the competition they put up during the training and stand out in their commitment.
Sere Wepnwi Boris says she wasn't frightened about what she will be facing during the training and gradually felt the need for the skills she will be getting.
"I was frightened when coming to train myself, because looking around I saw many young men or boys, turning into drug addicts, because of the ongoing Armed conflict in the region with the effects visible on the youths, but I think we cannot judge them, but draw them closer and find out what reasons they decide to put up with such attitude" Noria said.
"I work with alot of guys that drink and I think the training has given me skills to help them out of the situation and I also call on all who can support youths out of such behaviours of smoking, drinking slot, to do well to help" She added.
Chesami Valerie says social media has made it easy for messages to get across many people, especially those in the interior and that it can be a great tool in advocacy.
"The Environment is not conduisive considering the crisis in the Northwest and Southwest regions,but we still have to do what we need to do to reach the people,we have been trained and given skills to advocate for prevention against NCDs and with the social media we can use it as a tool to reach out to many people,ans be there for them when they need us" Valerie said.
" we need to beef all the difficulties to reach the people, because it is a matter of life, health and a good environment which is worth fighting for" he added.
