The Anambra State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike has assured the World Health Organisation (WHO) that the State Government would continue to partner them so as to achieve Universal Health Coverage in the state.

 

Dr. Obidike gave the assurance when the new State Coordinator of WHO, Dr. Bonos Mohammed with his team paid him a courtesy visit at the Jerome Udoji Secretariat Complex, Awka.

Speaking during the visit, Dr. Obidike said that the state is grateful to the outgoing WHO State Coordinator, Dr. Abdulnasir Adamu who through his wealth of experience helped Anambra to make serious progress within his short stay in the state, and assured Dr. Mohamed that they will work together to achieve the goals of WHO.

 

Dr. Obidike informed the new State Coordinator that the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo is very much interested in ensuring that Ndi Anambra have access to quality and affordable healthcare services, especially those in the hard-to-reach areas of the state.

The Commissioner noted that currently, indigenes and non-indigenes in Anambra are benefiting from the free antenatal and free delivery services that started last year and that Governor Soludo while making the pronouncement, extended the free antenatal and free delivery till the end of his tenure, and that the state is also recruiting no fewer than five hundred health workers into the State Primary Healthcare system, geared towards improving the healthcare delivery across the state.

 

Dr. Obidike made it clear that Anambra state still needs the support of WHO in the areas of cancer screening and treatment, nutrition, technical support and disease prevention, and that as a responsible and concerned government, they will soon complete the ongoing upgrading of three General Hospitals across the three senatorial zones and that they are also building five new General hospitals and revealed that the state benefited immensely from WHO, appealing to the new Coordinator to assist the state with his vast experience in surveillance.

Earlier, Dr. Mohammed commended the commissioner for his leadership style and commitment in the health sector, and assured that the WHO will always support the state while noting down the commissioner’s request.

 

In attendance during the visit were, Mr. Ndubuisi Oji, Mrs. Uju Orjiagu, and Mrs. Truth Ezeudoye all from WHO, while the Ministry of Health team present were, Dr. Afam Anaeme, Director Public Health, Dr. Ugochukwu Chukwulobelu, Director of Medical Services, Mrs. Edith Nwachukwu, Head, Planning, Research and Statistics as well as Dr. Uju Okoye, who is the state Coordinator of Reproductive Health.