FIELD TRIP DAY 3 Cont’d:
Since we were disappointed in the state ministry of health, Mrs Chinwe Chukwukere, our delightful and cheerful tour for today, was on hand to take us on a road trip. She happens to be the Baby Friendly Initiative Program Officer in the Imo state Ministry of Health. Despite her busy schedule, she took us to a Comprehensive Health Center in Obinze Autonomous community.
She tried to explain as much as she could to us in so short a time. She talked about the Maternal and Child Health Week currently on going in the state, and sponsored by UNICEF. The maternal and child week is normally done twice a year, one in May and the other in November. A 6 month interval. The aim of Maternal and Child Health week is to provide necessary intervention to help mothers and their children. It is to emphasize important areas needed to reduce maternal and child morbidities and mortality; both are components of MDGs 4 and 5.
The special interventions that would be carried out, especially in the rural areas are; teaching the mother proper hand washing techniques, exclusive breastfeeding, proper personal hygiene. Other interventions taking place in this week is administration of fesolate, deworming tablet, vitamin A, and vaccines. She went on to lecture and demonstrate to us a hoard of other ministry activities. However, she lamented bitterly about how grossly inadequate the funds allocated to her program. She was indeed thankful to the UNICEF for their continued support to the activities in the ministry.
Obinze would forever remain in my mind because, she said the turnout rate of pregnant women for the ongoing maternal and child health week is encouraging. As a supervisor, she scored the community quite high for this. Mothers and their children should make themselves available and key into the various interventions planned and prepared for their own health.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK IMO STATE MINISTRY OF HEALTH.!!! The experience was worth it all the way.
