The Executive Secretary, Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Pharmacist Chisom Uchem says the First Round Optimized Maternal, Newborn Child Health Week is aimed at improving livelihood as well as reduce morbidity and mortality rates of Anambra citizens.

 

Pharmacist Uchem stated this during the flag-off ceremony of the First Round Optimized Maternal, Newborn Child Health Week, held at Umueri Civic Centre, Anambra East Local Government Area.

Delivering her address, Pharmacist Uchem noted that the National Council on Health at her fifty third meetings approved the bi-annual nationwide implementation of the week as one of the initiatives for the reduction of the unacceptably high numbers of illnesses death among women, newborn and children in the country, and that Covid-19 vaccination for adults has been included in the basket on the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week interventions.

The Executive Secretary explained that the general objective of the week is to strengthen the delivery and utilization of health services using six hundred Primary Healthcare Centres facilities, Secondary and Tertiary facilities, outreach and temporary sites to increase access and utilization of essential and lifesaving interventions, as well as to strengthen routine system, through updated knowledge and skills of health workers for service delivery, improved health management information system among others.

The Chief of Nutrition United Nation Children’s Fund, Nigeria Nemat Hajeebhoy, who expressed satisfaction with the exercise maintained that mothers need to be supported and that UNICEF recognizes the role of children and the importance of their health and promised that they will continue to partner the Anambra state government to enhance its health status, even as she urged the participants to take their nutrition seriously.

The event climaxed when Governor Soludo represented by his Deputy, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim declared the event open and immunized some children while cultural dance by pupils made the exercise which attracted the traditional ruler of Umueri, Igwe Benneth Emeka and his cabinet, a memorable one.