Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, has entered into partnership with pharmacists to combat sexual and gender-based violence, SGBV, in the state.

The partnership is through its “Speak to INU” (I Need U) codeword scheme.

The codeword scheme is to enable survivors of SGBV to access immediate help from DSVA, the police, health facilities and other support services from the safety of their local pharmacies.

DSVA conducted a two-day training between Oct. 28 and Oct. 29 for 200 pharmacists in the state to ensure the community-licensed pharmacists were properly equipped with knowledge on the scheme.

Courses taught during the training were: Understanding Gender-Based Violence; Understanding Relevant Laws on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence and Introducing the ‘Speak to INU’ Initiative.

DSVA Executive Secretary, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, said analysis of the agency’s bi-annual report (January to June) revealed that 60 per cent of SGBV survivors in the state only sought assistance at their community pharmacies.

“This 60 per cent may not be inclined to going to the police station. We are obviously missing out on a huge amount of people who are obviously experiencing domestic violence and not accessing help.

“The cases at the pharmacies are not incidented and there is no case to corroborate the survivor’s claims.

“We felt that it is expedient to enter into partnership with the Lagos branch of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) to launch this codeword scheme: “Speak to INU”.

“These pharmacies should act as a safe place in communities for survivors. When they go into the pharmacies, they either use the codeword or they tick the “Speak to INU” box on their prescription sheet.

“Once the survivor does this, the whole referral package is activated. The idea is that even without coming to our office, the survivor is able to access help,” she said.

PSN Chairman in the state, Gbolagade Iyiola, lauded the initiative, saying that it would give pharmacists necessary tools to help SGBV survivors in the state.

“The community pharmacies are the first point of call for people who need our health services.

”We have seen situations where people have been battered and the only place they can think of for care is the pharmacy.

“They prefer community pharmacies because there is no officialdom that exists in the hospitals,” Iyiola said.

He noted that SGBV had become an epidemic and that was why pharmacists had partnered with DSVA to properly train members.

“The training is on how to take in survivors and refer them to official quarters so that data can also be collected and necessary actions taken to stem the tide,” he added.