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The Enugu State Government says it is targeting 2,131,301 women of child bearing age and children under five years in the ongoing Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW).
The activities of the state-wide MNCHW week, which will run concurrently with the Modified Integrated Medical Outreach Programme (mIMOP) in eight council areas of the state, would be administered in all Primary Health Centres (PHCs).
Flagging-off the week at Uwani PHC Centre, Enugu on Monday, Wife of the Governor, Mrs Monica Ugwuanyi, said that the state government places high premium on the health of the people especially women and children.
Ugwuanyi advised mothers to take sensitisation of the two running programmes home and let their neighbours know and also benefit from the free drugs and services in the programme in their localities.
She also urged mothers to up their hygiene level since COVID-19 is real, adding that regular hand washing and wearing of face masks in public places must be observed regularly.
“I want you to take the free and complete immunisation of your children very seriously in order to protect them from all known diseases including COVID-19.
“Apart from immunisation; mothers must eat right and always consume natural fruits, vegetables and home-made foods to keep the breastfeed baby and entire family members healthy,’’ she said.
Speaking, state’s Commissioner for Health, Prof. Ikechukwu Obi, advised fathers to encourage mothers on issues of healthcare, especially assisting their nursing wives and child to access free and comprehensive healthcare services this week.
Obi said that through this collaboration at home, the families and indeed the whole state would be able to attain optimal health, when we make health issues the concern of all.
“The state government has designed a plan to put in place a healthcare system that caters for all especially starting with a well strengthened and coordinated PHC level to other higher levels of medicare.
“I will also use this medium to remind all of us of the need to continue to abide by the COVID-19 safety and protection protocols,’’ he said.
Dr George Ugwu, Executive Secretary of Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ENS-PHCDA), said that Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi had given tremendous support to the activities of PHCs unlike any other governor in the country.
“Only in Enugu State we have Type-3 PHC centres; only here we have well-motivated and massive PHC staff and we have not missed any national programme,’’ he said.
Ugwu also thanked the partners of the Agency for their technical, drugs and consumable provision support all these years, which had made each programme of the Agency highly successful.
“I must thank our amiable wife of our governor, Mrs Monica Ugwuanyi for the support to the Agency through her Ugo Touch of Life Foundation (U-TOLF) that provided cartons of de-worming tablets, multivitamin, paracetamol, ORS etc’’.
Ugwu said that the 2,131,301 targeted included 1,116,448 women of child bearing age and 1,014,953 children under five years.
In a goodwill message, Dr Ogechi Akanonu, representing the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), appreciated the state government for keeping the week and Mrs Ugwuanyi for her personal support to the week.
“We thank mothers and families in Enugu State for believing in health intervention programmes meant to keep all members of the family health,’’ Akanonu said.
Dr Nwakaego Ibekwe, UNICEF representative, urged mothers to take advantage of the week and boost the health of all children around them, adding; “No child should be left out’’.
The week-long event in PHC centres would run from Monday, May 17 and end on Saturday, May 23.
