The Anambra State Government has set up all the required health resources to start providing free medical healthcare treatments for women and children affected by the 2022 flood in ten local government areas of the state through the Ministry of Health in partnership with UNICEF.
Ayamelum, Awka North, Ekwusigo, Ogbaru, Anambra East, Anambra West, Orumba North, Orumba South, Onitsha North, and Ihiala are the ten local government areas that were impacted by the flood last year.
Dr. Afam Obidike, the state’s commissioner for health, made this announcement on Monday in Awka, announcing a 2-day residential training program for healthcare professionals on integrated primary healthcare service delivery with a focus on sexual and reproductive health for the state’s local government areas affected by the floods.
He said that the three-month free medical outreach was intended for everyone, but particularly for women and children.
According to him, 560 healthcare professionals will be trained for the free medical outreach, which would start in all LGAs on March 1st, 2023.
While praising the state governor Chukwuma Soludo and the UNICEF health expert Dr. Ify Anyayo for their kind gesture, the commissioner also noted that training had become crucial in helping health professionals improve their ability and practical skills required for advanced care in their various facilities and again for them to benefit from the training intended to increase skills, integrate, and understand essential care required for neo-natal emergency r.
The afflicted women and children were urged by Dr. Obidike to evaluate the free medical services available in their local council areas.
The free medical outreach and sensitization exercise, which will start on March 1st, 2023, will only be conducted in the ten local government areas mentioned above that were affected by the flood last year, according to Dr. Uju Okoye, the State Reproductive Health Coordinator and the outreach’s anchor person.
Dr. Okoye reaffirmed the State government’s commitment to helping those affected by the flood regain a high standard of living and reminded the participants that the outreach effort by the State Government in partnership with UNICEF was primarily intended to ease the concerns of the affected nursing mothers.
In addition to 300 mother kits (also known as birth kits) for free humanitarian services, she pointed out that UNICEF has acquired all necessary medications.
Dr. Chinelo Madubuike, a resource person, updated participants on disease prevention techniques and safety precautions during the session. He emphasized that prevention is still the best method for eradicating diseases and disregarded cultural myths that raise the danger of neonatal fatalities.
Dr. Obinna Ajaegbu, a paediatrician from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi, served as another resource person and educated the group on “Assessment of the newborn, physical examination, temperature monitoring, control weight, and breastfeeding, reminding them that they are caregivers and that it is important to be aware of abnormal circumstances and danger signs.
Some of the attendees described the program as a motivating advancement for knowledge transfer and human support services in an interview with the Nigerian Tribune.
