Over 60 members of the local community in Hatay, south-east Türkiye, completed training to support the well-being of those affected by the region’s deadly earthquake, which left 106 000 people living in about 150 tent and container cities.
The intensive community health support staff training programme, organized by WHO, was tailored to the needs of a range of survivors, with topics such as reproductive health, elder care, interpersonal communication and community engagement, and breastfeeding counselling. It built on a collaboration that began in 2018 between the WHO Country Office in Türkiye and the Association for Solidarity with Asylum Seekers and Migrants (SDGG-ASAM).
Essential care for affected communities
Expert speakers from Mustafa Kemal University joined with WHO to deliver comprehensive training for a range of individuals in the earthquake-affected community. These included people contending with chronic illnesses, elderly people requiring constant care or with mobility challenges, individuals with injuries or amputations necessitating ongoing support, and pregnant or lactating women.
The diverse group of trainees ranged from recent graduates to local women. Emel Çoğalan, a mother of three from Hatay, found herself living in a tent with her family following the earthquake. Despite having no prior professional experience, she understands the challenges faced by her community and embraces the opportunity to support services in the tent and container cities. "I would like to do something useful for the people here,” she says.
WHO/Europe organized a specialized risk communication, community engagement and infodemic management session for a group of female trainees to promote breastfeeding and support counselling. The session focused on empowering and engaging with lactating women, recognizing the critical importance of breastfeeding for both mother and child in the wake of a disaster. A manual has been developed in Turkish and Arabic that assists community health support staff with guidance, practical tips on interpersonal skills and key facts about breastfeeding with which to engage new mothers.
Community response work
Looking ahead, after two months of deployment, the team will undergo refresher training sessions. The content of these sessions will be enriched by feedback and experiences from the field, ensuring that the support provided remains responsive to the evolving needs of the community.
SGDD-ASAM project coordinator Belma Beyaz said: “These immersive courses provide trainees with a holistic understanding of the health issues and the unique care prerequisites for those residing within container and tent cities. Notably, in this series of trainings we introduced a ground-breaking element – a risk communication, community engagement and infodemic management module developed by WHO Regional and Country Office.
“Designed with a strategic focus on bolstering breastfeeding practices, this module not only imparted vital insights into the significance of breastfeeding and dispelled pervasive myths, it also equipped trainees to sensitively frame their questions to mothers. By doing so, they're well-placed to facilitate open dialogue and foster trust, an indispensable facet of driving behavioural change.”
The newly trained support staff will be deployed in Hatay, initially supporting 37 patients. However, there are plans to expand the initiative, so that the trainees can help people rebuild their lives and foster resilience in other affected cities in the country.