From Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki
Following the Open Maternity Day (OMD) held in Ebonyi, the United States Agency for International Development - Integrated Health Program (USAID-IHP) has urged residents of the state to be health-conscious by avoiding lifestyles prone to disease risks.
USAID-IHP through the Integrated Primary Healthcare Advisor in Ebonyi, Loveth Chukwurah gave this advice on Wednesday during the Open Maternity Program at Urban Okposi Primary Health Centre in Ohaozara Local Government Area of the State.
Chukwurah said that the government has provided basic health training and equipment for the residents of the state, and urged them to be going for periodic medical checkups and treatment in the health facilities within their areas.
She advised the pregnant women to always visit the health centres at their vicinities for antenatal care and delivery.
"During labour, they should seek care on time for adequate care and medication," she added.
She emphasized that both children and adults especially the women of childbearing age and their kids below 5years, always required a healthy examination before treatment to avert the reoccurrence of the malady, being suffered.
The IPHC advisor also urged parents to always cook a balanced diet with the locally available resources for themselves and their children, stressing that, "every family should ensure that the children, and all other members, take a balanced diet."
Unveiling the activities being carried out on the Open Maternity Day, Chukwurah noted that the program would include a health facility tour, health talk, gender-based violence (GBV) awareness, question and answer session, antenatal and post-natal care services, childbirth spacing services, malaria test and services, blood pressure test, weight and height measurement, deworming and growth monitoring.
Also speaking, the Officer-in-Charge of the health centre, Mrs Esther Chioma Enyi expressed joy over the massive turnout of the community members during the program.
She said, though, in their normal maternity days in the health centre, the women used to turn up, but not as many as witnessed on the Open Maternity Day.
While USAID-IHP and other Partners like Breakthrough Action carried out the program, Enyi disclosed that the registers at the centre had shown the majority of adults suffer predominantly, from arthritis and High Blood Pressure, while malaria infections were chiefly suffered by both young and adult ones in the area. "The four malnourished children were identified during the open maternity day and referred for further management," she revealed.
In his part, the Chairman of the Mgbom Ward Development Committee in Ohaozara Council Area of the State, Augustine Okoro, equally urged the community people to utilise all the teachings and medical guidance received during the event, asking them to always be health-conscious, by watching their body system, eating rightly, observing hygienic ethics, practice physical exercise, with regular medical checkups and following up the doctor's recommendations appropriately.
The beneficiaries of the program include the Chairman of Amata and Amegu Mgbom Okposi Ward, Mr John Ngwu, Sunday Onyeama, Mary Okeke, Blessing Omoke, among others, commended the USAID-IHP and all other health assisting groups for their useful services.
They, therefore, called for the sustenance and expansion of the program in the state, saying that the benefits remained immeasurable in human society.
