Pregnant Women Got Free Prenatal, Post-Natal Services From Governor Obiano

                                         

In a bid to wipe out all child killer diseases in Anambra State, the State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano weekend flagged off the first round of the 2014 Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW) saying that his administration will turn Anambra State Health sector around so as to meet Millennium Development goals number two, three and four.  

Gov. Obiano while speaking during the flag off ceremony at Primary Health Centre, Nibo in Awka South Local Government Area, said it was for this reason that he has attended all health campaign programmes since he came into office in March this year.

He said he intends to wipe out the six child killer diseases as he also seeks to elevate all the General Hospitals in the state to the status of Specialist hospitals and make other hospitals meet the status of Mission Hospitals in the state.

“As soon as we are through with the rehabilitation of the public  health institutions in the state, government will offer free prenatal and postnatal  health services to all pregnant women in the state.

 “We have interest in the provision of healthcare especially for the poor. The achievement of MDG two, three and four is my priority so as to wipe out child killer diseases and that is why we participated in all health campaigns”, he said.

Earlier, the Commissioner for health, Dr. Joe Akabuike described the day as special day and urged the people to embrace the programme, pointing out that the aim of the exercise is  to achieve MDGs especially four and five by reducing child and maternal by half.

He noted that Anambra has achieved maternal mortality of 200 to 1000 births but that what the government wants is to give the people health in its entirety.

According to him, that is why, he has inspected all public health institutions with a view to assessing the facilities to enhance them.

In the exercise that will begin on Monday, Akabuike said, the targeted population are: 88753 children of age between 6-59 months for Vitamin A supplement; 197,427 children between age 0 to 11 months;   246,785 pregnant women and 1, 085,847 of women of child bearing age.

odogwuemekaodogwu.com reports that the programmes slated are distribution of Long Lasting Insecticidal Treated Nets to prevent malaria, health education on key  household practices; management of childhood illness, demonstration of proper hand washing, HIV prevention information to young people and women. Others are : nutrition screening and counseling  for malnourished children; De-warming of children, antenatal care, birth preparedness and complication readiness for pregnant women, iron folate administration to pregnant mothers and so on.

Mr. Didem Gbafeyi who represented partners of the programme warned that the programme does not involved house to house administration of treatment like in the polio or vaccination exercise. He praised Anambra state for consistently coming first health care issues in the South-South and South East