In a strategic effort to promote preventive healthcare at the grassroots level, a three-day health education workshop spearheaded by Dr. Ruth Senibi, MD, has successfully concluded at Elson Academy, Tsohon Kamazou, Kaduna State. The programme, held from August 25 to 27 in collaboration with Amina Hospital, was specifically tailored to equip students and staff of the institution with critical knowledge on preventing food-borne and infectious diseases.

Unlike broader community outreach campaigns, the intervention was a structured, replicable model designed by Dr. Senibi, combining behavioral health education, teacher capacity-building, and institutional reinforcement mechanisms. This approach ensures that knowledge transfer extends beyond the initial sessions into sustained daily practices within the school system.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Senibi highlighted the importance of targeting young populations within structured learning environments.
“Schools are powerful platforms for change. By educating students and their teachers, we are building a culture of health consciousness that extends beyond the classroom into homes and the wider community,” she said.

Throughout the three-day programme, students and staff of Elson Academy participated in structured sessions addressing food hygiene, safe water practices, disease prevention, and early identification of symptoms associated with common infectious diseases such as typhoid, cholera, and malaria.

The sessions were highly interactive, incorporating demonstrations, visual aids, and participatory activities. Teachers were also trained on how to integrate basic health education into daily school routines and monitor hygiene practices among students. A key highlight was the emphasis on practical behavioural changes within the school setting, including proper handwashing techniques, safe food storage in school premises, and maintaining clean classroom environments.

The school’s administrative staff expressed satisfaction with the targeted nature of the intervention.

“This programme has not only educated our students but also empowered our teachers with the tools to sustain these practices. It is a timely and much-needed intervention,” Mr. Balogun Remi Akinropo, the principal of the school noted.

Representatives from Amina Hospital, a collaborating healthcare institution, affirmed that the programme reflects a structured and effective approach to preventive health education, with strong potential for broader application in similar educational settings.

School representatives noted that the programme not only increased awareness of hygiene, safe water practices, and infectious disease prevention, but also strengthened the school’s internal capacity to reinforce these lessons through teachers and staff after the workshop concluded.

Organizers explained that this approach was intentionally designed to produce sustained behavioural change within the school environment rather than a one-time awareness campaign.

The programme coordinators, stated that the three-day intervention directly reached students, teachers, and administrative staff at Elson Academy through structured training sessions, practical demonstrations, and follow-up educational materials.

On the final day, students underwent basic health checks, and educational materials were distributed to reinforce lessons learned during the workshop. Hygiene kits were also provided to encourage sustained practice of proper sanitation habits. Students who participated in the programme shared positive feedback, noting that the sessions were both informative and engaging.

“I learned how to properly wash my hands and why it’s important. I will also teach my younger siblings at home,” said one of the students.

Dr. Senibi concluded the workshop with a call for continuity, urging school authorities to maintain the standards introduced during the programme.
“This is just the beginning. Elson Academy is now a model of what a health-conscious school should look like. Our goal is to replicate this success in other schools,” she stated.

The programme directly reached approximately 180 students and 25 staff members across 8 classes, representing a significant portion of the school population. Pre- and post-session assessments conducted during the workshop demonstrated measurable improvements in participants’ understanding of hygiene practices, safe water handling, and early disease symptom recognition.

This initiative forms part of Dr. Senibi’s broader work in developing community-based, preventive health education models focused on early intervention and behavioural change.