Abia State Government has announced that the distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets across the 17 local government areas will commence in the first or second week of October.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu who made the announcement on Monday while briefing newsmen on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti, said the nets had started arriving in the state.
The Commissioner said that the distribution exercise would be launched by Governor Otti, adding that consultations were ongoing with stakeholders across the 17 LGAs to ensure seamless distribution of the nets.
He also disclosed that the the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the National Malaria Elimination Programme, would commence larvae source management activities before the end of September.
Prince Kanu said that the exercise would focus on Isuikwuato and Aba South LGAs, which available meteorological data showed had the highest levels of mosquito larvae breeding in the state.
The commissioner said the Ministry of Health had also hosted the Optometry and Opticians Registration Council of Nigeria for an accreditation visit.
He added that the National Board for Technical Education had visited to accredit facilities for optometry and nursing training at the College of Nursing Sciences, Federal Medical Center, Umuahia and the Abia State College of Nursing Sciences, Abiriba campus.
Prince Kanu said that the Week 38 Health Advisory focused on diphtheria prevention and control, noting that no case of the disease had been recorded in the state.
He said that the state’s Public Health Department had instituted an outbreak prevention and preparedness plan.
On technology, Prince Kanu said that preparation for the fourth cohort of the Abia TechRise programme had commenced following approval by the governor.
The commissioner disclosed that the first three cohorts of the programme produced 2,210 graduates, while 88 outstanding graduates had secured automatic employment into the Abia State Civil Service.
On agriculture, the commissioner said the local government agricultural intervention programme was progressing across the 17 local government areas.
He disclosed that participating local governments had recently received about 2,040 birds under the ongoing poultry intervention programme, while several councils had commenced harvesting Habanero peppers from their farms.
He said agricultural value chains under the programme were being monitored to ensure productivity and sustainability.
Prince Kanu also disclosed that the Abia state government has intensified efforts to tackle gender-based violence with the Nchedo Sexual Assault and Referral Centre recording seven cases in one month.
The Commissioner noted that the cases comprised six sexual violence cases and one domestic violence case, involving five minors aged between 10 and 14 years and two adult women aged between 25 and 40 years.
According to him, the reported cases involved alleged defilement, rape and domestic violence against a pregnant woman.
He said that the centre provided medical and other support services to the survivors, including medical intervention and surgery for a 10-year-old survivor who sustained severe vaginal bleeding following alleged abuse.
Prince Kanu said that the cases had been documented for appropriate protection, investigation, referral and legal processes.
The commissioner stated that the Otti led administration is committed to ensuring that perpetrators of gender-based violence are brought to justice no matter what it takess.
He said the development underscores the present administration’s commitment to protecting vulnerable persons and ensuring that survivors received the necessary support.
