Abia State Governor’s Wife, Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu said that the administration of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, shall leave no stone unturned to see that Abia health care delivery system becomes the number one in the country.
Mrs. Ikpeazu, stated this at the flag off ceremony of maternal, newborn and child health week held at Umuahia South Local Government Area of the State recently.
The Governor’s wife expressed that Abia state is fostering strong partnership between government and communities to provide the basic right to life for mother and child.
According to her, “we are pursuing efforts to reduce high rate of preventable deaths by scaling up some basic steps such as family planning, preventive treatment of malaria in pregnant women and prevention of mother to child transmission of HIS/AIDS”.
Mrs. Ikpeazu, explained that the maternal newborn and child health week is a regular feature in our efforts to drive down the number of motalities and illnesses amongst mothers and children, adding that it is designed to deliver a week long integrated package of highly cost effective, yet result oriented, preventive and curative services.
However, the Abia First Lady warned that even as Abia government has taken the necessary arrangements to witted down the spread of the second wave of corona virus, it behoves on us all to strictly adhere to the protocols to avoid being infected.
In his speech, the Commissioner for Health in Abia State, Dr. Joe Osuji, said that the government of Abia State is doing everything humanly possible to protect our children from killer diseases.
According to him, “we are here to sensitise our mothers, that some of these diseasesand preventable when they take this advantages as provided by the government to immunise or vaccinate their children ” he said.
Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary, Abia Primary Health Development Agency, Dr. Chinagozie Adindu, states that mothers and children are among the vulnerable groups that should be provided with affordable and acceptable quality health care services.
Adindu explained that Nigeria occupies an unenviable position of the country with the highest number of maternal and under 5, deaths in the world.
In every 1000, birth in Abia, Adindu, said that 83%, are likely to die before 5th birthday.
Against this backdrop, Adindu maintained that Abia state joined other state sin Nigeria to implement the millennium development goals of and the more ambitious 17 strategic development goals of the United Nations targeted at the vulnerable groups.
Within the week, the following interventions shall be given out.
Iron/folic acid supplements
Sp administration and anti natal care for pregnant women
In his remarks, the Executive Chairman, Umuahia South LGA, Hon. Chukkwudi Benson said, it is great thing to come into 2021, stronger in good health after a turbulent 2020, because of the outbreak of Covid -19.
He thanked the Governor’s wife for being in the forefront of delivering quality health care to Abians.
