In healthcare facilities across Enugu and Oyo States, and the Federal Capital Territory, healthcare workers continue to acquire knowledge about infection prevention to stop the spread of diseases.

For many frontline health workers, infection prevention was once seen as guidance on paper, often constrained by weak systems, limited funding and competing priorities. DRASA, in partnership with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) set out to change that through the Turn-A-State-Orange (TASO) initiative. TASO aims to equip health workers for safer care from within their facilities.

Across three sessions held between March and April 2026, DRASA and NCDC equipped 30 healthcare workers from primary, secondary and private facilities, alongside state IPC focal persons and technical teams to become Health Champions. But beyond the numbers, these Health Champions also describe a change in their mindsets towards disease prevention.

“Infection prevention is no longer something we discuss only during inspections,” Joy Nathaneal, a participant from Oyo State, reflected. “It has become part of how we think about every patient encounter.”

The intervention emerged in response to the rising concern over healthcare-associated infections and the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. Through practical demonstrations, peer learning, facility risk assessments and workplan development, participants moved beyond theory to action.

A nurse at a healthcare facility in the Federal Capital Territory, Jessica Okoye, recalled how discussions on antimicrobial resistance changed her perspective. “We used to see resistant infections mainly as a treatment issue. Now we understand it from a behavioral perspective too, making preventive healthcare part of the solution.” 

In addition, Health Champions reported stronger confidence to champion safer practices, advocate for IPC funding, and integrate prevention into daily routines. In Enugu, they received a manual to guide implementation. In Oyo, stakeholders aligned facility participation within two Local Government Areas to strengthen coordinated action. In Abuja, discussions linked IPC more explicitly to antimicrobial stewardship and surveillance.

Challenges emerged around financing, coordination and uneven baseline knowledge, but they shaped valuable lessons. Mentorship matters. State ownership matters. And practical learning rooted in local realities works.

“What we are building is not just compliance,” Austine Ajogwu, a state IPC focal person, noted during a plenary session. “We are building a culture of safety.”

As these Health Champions return to their facilities to cascade learning, expand on their workplans and strengthen IPC systems, one lesson stands out: that equipping frontline healthcare workers leads to safer care.