We’ll Support Imam Services To Improve Malnourished Children’s Health – Gov Fubara

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has reiterated his administration’s commitment to prioritize healthcare services in the state, especially primary healthcare.

This, he noted, is geared towards ensuring that Rivers people get the best of healthcare services they deserve to improve their quality of life, particularly in addressing the impact of the Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) programme on moderately and severely malnourished children in the State.

Governor Fubara disclosed this when he paid an unscheduled inspection visit to the Degema Zonal Hospital in Degema Local Government Area of the State.

The Governor accompanied by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh; the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Degema Local Government Area, Hon. Anthony Soberekon; and the Chief Medical Director, Rivers State Hospitals Management Board, Dr Bright Ogbonda; also visited the Model Primary Healthcare Centre (MPHC), Degema.

He interfaced with the Matron in-charge of the Primary Healthcare Centre, Matron Florence Kalio, staff who were on duty, members of the Ward Development Committee (WDC), and patients.

Governor Fubara sought to know the challenges faced by the staff of the centre while noting the impact of the Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) programme on moderately and severely malnourished children in the area.

The centre is one of the six IMAM sites established by the Rivers State Government across the state in January, 2024, to address the healthcare needs of the people in the rural communities.

The Governor said, “I have listened to you with rapt attention and have ascertained the challenges you face in the discharge of your duties.

“I want to assure you of the commitment of our administration to give Rivers people the best of healthcare services they need.

“In fact, I want to inform you that health is of utmost priority in our administration. We are prioritizing healthcare, especially primary healthcare, and we will do everything within our powers to ensure that you have what you need to provide the services needed by the people”, he noted.

In her remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh, lauded Governor Fubara for his commitment towards ensuring the provision of universal healthcare services to Rivers people, emphasising that the administration’s huge investment in the sector was a testament to its desire to put the wellbeing of the people first, and also catalyse the overall development of the State.

Dr Oreh explained that the IMAM programme was established by the Rivers State Government, in collaboration with key national and international partners, to address core healthcare needs of malnourished children across the state, among others.

She noted that the Governor’s efforts in supporting the centre will no doubt strengthen the health sector, and the State’s economy with the aim of achieving the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on healthcare.

Earlier, Matron in-charge of the Primary Healthcare Centre, Matron Florence Kalio, had explained that the services provided have helped address the challenges faced by the most vulnerable people in the target areas of the healthcare centre.

She specifically noted the intervention the centre has made in antenatal, delivery, newborn care, immunisation, deworming, infant and child growth monitoring, nutrition supplementation, family planning, and reproductive health services.

Matron Kalio emphasised that the centre has also provided excellent services in the areas of cervical cancer screening, HIV testing, birth registration, health promotion, and diagnosis of communicable and non-communicable diseases, and commended the Governor for the support given to the centre to enable it deliver on its mandate to the people of the area.

The MPHC, Degema, caters for the healthcare needs of the diverse riverine population in the Kalabari axis of Rivers State, providing wide range of healthcare services, including  antenatal, delivery, newborn care, immunisation, deworming, infant and child growth monitoring, nutrition supplementation, family planning and reproductive health services.

It further provides services covering cervical cancer screening, HIV testing, birth registration, health promotion, and diagnosis of communicable and non-communicable diseases.

These services are intended to address the majority of healthcare needs required at the rural level in order to significantly improve population health outcomes such as maternal, newborn, infant, and child mortality rates in the State.

The MPHC services also strive to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. Highlight of the visit was the signing of the Attendance Register of the centre by the Governor.