From Oswald Agwu
The United States Agency for International Development - funded Breakthrough Action - Nigeria, has been applauded over the impact of its umbrella social behaviour change radio drama program, 'Jide Ka I join, in Ebonyi State, Southeast Nigeria.
The commendation was related by the broadcast stations of the drama series during an interactive review meeting organized by Breakthrough Action -Nigeria, Wednesday, in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital.
The broadcasters from USAID - BA-N partner stations, expressed satisfaction with the feedback they get from listeners to the radio drama program, stating that it has increased positive response to thematic health issues in Ebonyi families.
Relating their feelings at the meeting, some of the participants, including Amaka Chukwu and Chukwudi Nweke of Ebonyi Broadcasting Corporation; Nnenna Beneath of Radio Nigeria (Unity FM) Abakaliki, and Thomas Otuu of Ebonyi State University Radio, explained that they have been encouraged by the feedbacks, knowing that the drama has impacted positively in the health life of Ebonyi families.
EBSU Radio Manager, Otuu, stated: "Our radio is also a rural impact station, and the feedback we get from the rural listeners around us is encouraging.
'We get feedback from the rural areas, especially as concerns family planning and other issues around maternal and infant health.
"They usually affirm that 'Jide ka I Ji' has continued to make family planning, antenatal care and other thematic health issues a family affair as husbands get more interested in listening to the drama.
"It is no longer the affairs of women and children alone."
He stated that the interactive meeting has further cleared some grey areas, paving the way for more value in their broadcast of the radio drama.
He, however, called for increased logistics to enable them to sustain the tempo.
Speaking on the essence of the meeting, the USAID - BA-N Social Behavior Change Officer, Ebonyi State, Iheanacho Oji, said it was aimed at engaging more with the media persons from their partner stations, to ensure that they have more understanding of what they were broadcasting.
"It is to also enable us to get feedback from them.
"The essence is to increase visibility", Oji added.
'Jide Ka I Ji' is a popular Igbo phrase in Ebonyi State and the Southeast of Nigeria, which directly translates to “Continue the good things you do”.
However, its more colloquial meaning may be translated to “Well done!” - an expression commonly used in Igbo communities to warmly encourage someone.
The radio drama, 'Jide ka I Ji', was launched Thursday, July 28, 2022, in Ebonyi by USAID - Breakthrough Action -Nigeria, in partnership with the Ebonyi State Ministry of Health and the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency.
The drama was produced in collaboration with Ebonyi Broadcasting Corporation, EBBC.
The drama builds on the ongoing implementation of a suite of SBC activities in the state designed to improve outcomes in the areas of Family Planning, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health; Nutrition and Malaria Prevention, as well as Treatment.
It is designed for ‘edutainment’ and covers multiple health themes across the 13-episode season. It also has a visual logo and theme song designed to engage and motivate individuals at all levels of society to act positively towards improving their health.
