UMUAHIA – A group of professionals in public health, Network of Public Health Professionals, Nigeria, has called for improved investment in health facilities to improve the health of the citizenry.
The Chairman of the group’s steering committee, Prof. Godwin Aja, made the call on Friday, when he led other members of the group on a courtesy visit to Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia.
Aja said that the organisation would soon honour the governor with an ‘’Award of Excellence’’ for his laudable health programmes.
He said the award would serve as a wakeup call to other states to invest in the health of the people.
He commended the governor for his transformation in the health sector, citing the construction of 260 health centres in the 17 local government areas of the state, as an instance.
Aja further commended the governor’s cancer prevention initiative, the establishment of a specialist and diagnostic centre, and the installation of dialysis facility for the control of kidney disease.
He also commended the governor for his poliomyelitis eradication initiative, his sustained programme on the training of health manpower in the state and support to the “’Ochendo door-to-door free health service’’.
In his speech, the governor said that he would continue to initiate policies and programmes that would boost healthcare delivery in the state.
He said that the government was presently constructing 190-bed hospitals in nine local government areas of the state.
Orji expressed happiness that medical students had started doing their internship at Amachara General Hospital, recently upgraded to a specialist hospital.
The governor commended the state President of the group, Mr Bekee Igbojionu, for initiating the Ochendo door-to-door free health service in the state.
Members of the group during the visit included Prof. Ukwuoma Abanobi of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri and Prof. Ademola Ajuwon of the University of Ibadan, among others. (NAN)