By Emmanuel Amara
The Director, Primary Health Care and Administrative Secretary, Izzi Health Authority, Mrs. Loveth Austin Nwazunku, has pledged to collaborate with the newly installed Executive of the Council to carry out effective healthcare delivery across the 14 political wards and 17 principal communities in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
Mrs. Nwazunku made the pledge during a visit by the Ebonyi State TB Network Advocacy Team, led by the State Programme Officer, Mr. Ogbonna Okemini.
Mrs. Nwazunku, who expressed delight over the visit, thanked God for making the meeting possible and commended the team for its efforts, commitment and passion for championing the health of rural dwellers.
She promised that, in her capacity as Director of Primary Health Care in the council area, she would do her best to complement the team’s efforts to ensure the completion of the project.
She also promised to facilitate the team’s visit to the Council Chairman, Mrs. Heleen Aduga, noting that such a meeting would encourage the council’s assistance towards the completion of the project. She urged the team not to relent in its good work.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Mr. Ogbonna Okemini, who gave the background of the project, said the TB Network was implementing an Integrated Community-Led Monitoring Project funded by the Global Fund under the GC7 grant.
According to him, the 12-month project in the state is being implemented in three local government areas: Izzi, Ezza South and Ohaozara.
He explained that the project’s modus operandi involves identifying a DOT facility in each political ward within the project areas that offers other services, including malaria and HIV/AIDS treatment, and identifying health challenges in the facilities that hinder the optimal uptake of healthcare services.
He said that after identifying the challenges, the team classifies them and channels them appropriately for immediate attention.
Mr. Okemini mentioned Ndigwe and Edukwu Achi MDGs facilities as beneficiaries of the team’s advocacy efforts through community resource mobilisation. However, he described Ochafu village in Izzi as the most outstanding beneficiary, noting that the team’s advocacy had helped the villagers mobilise over ₦11 million towards the construction of a health facility in the community, which is currently 80 per cent complete.
He said the essence of the courtesy visit was to inform the Administrative Secretary of the team’s plans to meet with the Council Chairman, Mrs. Heleen Aduga, to share insights into the health needs of the Ochafu people and solicit her assistance towards equipping the community-built health facility.
He described the Administrative Secretary’s position as strategic and a gateway to the Council Chairman’s office, commending her for agreeing to meet with the team.
Other members of the delegation, including Mr. Emmanuel Amara, Mr. Orji Onyemaechi and the Ochafu village Chairman, Mr. Sunday Mbam, highlighted the deplorable health conditions of the people of Ochafu and acknowledged the need for assistance from government at all levels and well-meaning individuals to equip the facility.
They noted that such support would alleviate the people’s suffering, encourage them to access quality healthcare services and help reduce maternal and child mortality in the area.