Enugu State Government says it has commenced distribution of 1, 200 packs of diapers and drugs, free-of-charge, under its ongoing medical outreach and intensive immunization programmes at its Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs).
Dr George Ugwu, Executive Secretary of the Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ENS-PHCDA), disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Friday.
Amongst the free drugs distributed were de-worming medicine and multi-vitamins, as well as free immunization services for children between zero and two years.
Ugwu said that the free medicines and health consumables were part of Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s policy of making rural health care services attractive, accessible and qualitative; in ensuring health for all in the state.
He noted that the ongoing ENS-PHCDA programmes – modified Integrated Medical Outreach Programme (mIMOP) and Routine Immunization Intensification Programme (RIIP) – would ensure that the free medicines and health consumables reached all, especially those that visit the PHC centres to access service.
According to him, the free diapers, drugs and medical consumables was meant to attract the people, especially mothers and children closer to PHC centres and this will have far-reaching health benefit for the entire state.
“The state government is not only interested in its ongoing construction and equipping of Type-3 PHC centres across communities and wards in the 17 council areas in the state.
“But to ensure that the PHC centres are optimally utilized by the residents as “hospitals close to homes and neighbourhoods’’ no matter how remote such dwellings might be.
“The ongoing mIMOP and RIIP programmes, fully funded by the state government through magnanimity of His Excellency, Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, is meant to mop-up all shortfalls in immunization and PHC services noticed during the COVID-19 lock-down’’, Ugwu said.
He further said that the programmes drew support from all the state’s health partners, both local and international organizations.
“Worth of mention is the governor’s wife, Mrs Monica Ugwuanyi’s Ugo-Touch of Life Foundation (U-TOLF) that donated to the ENS-PHCDA large quantities of multivitamins, de-worming drugs, other drugs and medical consumables for the ongoing programmes.
“Not forgetting to appreciate Procter & Gamble (P&G) Company for donating diapers to the state government as well as the special adviser to the governor on health for facilitating this donation,’’ he said.
Ugwu called on residents to take advantage of the programmes and ensure they visit a PHC centre nearest to them, adding; “There is a free gift waiting for you’’.
The free PHC services include immunization, treatment of minor ailments, health education and promotion, counselling services, screening for non-communicable diseases and general consultation.
NAN also recalls that 1, 146 healthcare workers and 873 community resource persons/volunteers had been trained and empowered with interpersonal communication and skills on COVID-19 protocol and guidelines to implement the two programmes at the PHC centres.
The ongoing mIMOP and RIIP programmes are expected to run to the end of the year. NAN)
