From Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki
The USAID-HPN Office in Nigeria led by the Director, Mr Paul McDermott made this known when he paid a courtesy visit to Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State at the Executive Chambers, old Government House Abakaliki.
Mr McDermott accompanied by Dr Sylvester Akande - the USAID HSS Specialist, Mr Ebenezer Oluloto - the USAID Nutrition Specialist and Mr Justus Uzim - the USAID Monitoring Evaluation Research and Learning MERL Specialist, explained that the visit was in furtherance of the agency’s support for the state through the Primary Health Care Memorandum of Understanding.
In his words, “USAID is one of the biggest donors currently supporting Ebonyi State with about 10 different activities and programmes currently implementing namely; USAID Integrated Health Programme (IHP), Global Health Supply Chain- Procurement Supply Management (GHSC-PSM), Presidents Malaria Initiative for States PMI-S, Breakthrough Action Nigeria (BA-N), State to State (S2S), Momentum Country Global Leadership GBV (MCGL GBV) activity, Health Workforce Management (HWM), Promoting the Quality of Medicines Plus (PQM+) programme, Feed the Future (FTF), and Momentum Safe Surgery (MSSFPO)."
He noted that the programmes had made a great impact in Ebonyi, working tirelessly with the implementing partners to improve the health condition of the people in the state.
McDermott added that "the USAID team is interested in finding out the challenges and progress on COVID-19 vaccination as well as to review the implementation of the above projects and to discuss the way forward."
While responding, Governor David Umahi represented by his Deputy, Barrister Eric Kelechi Igwe commended the USAID team for the results of the assessment they had already made in the State.
Governor Umahi described Ebonyi as "the number one state in terms of partnering with international donor agencies like USAID,” and however, urged the team to assist the state in data collection, analysis and storage to ensure its rapid and steady advancement.
The governor disclosed his administrative plan to establish a Drug Management Agency to enhance the health status of the Ebonyi citizens.
He said that the State Executive Council has sent to the State House of Assembly a bill seeking to establish the Agency.
He noted that his administration has given priority to the health needs of the people in the state.
"Health is wealth and any nation deprived of good health is almost a dead nation. For our State, it is one of our priorities, we have put in place all necessary machinery to achieve results. On assumption of office, we ensured the establishment of Primary Health Centres in the one hundred and seventy-one wards where people could get first aid before seeking further attention from secondary facilities," Governor said.
He further said that the state has made full use of donations received from the USAID and asked for more provision of nutrients to cushion the effects of the lack of supply occasioned by the Russian- Ukraine war.
