By CHARLES IWUOHA

Enugu State Government says it has commenced distribution of 1,200 packs of diapers and medical consumables free-of-charge in ongoing medical outreach and intensive immunisation programmes in its Primary Healthcare Centres (PHC).

Dr George Ugwu, Executive Secretary of the Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ENS-PHCDA), disclosed this to newsmen in Enugu on Monday.

The free medical consumables being distributed include de-worming medicine and multi-vitamins as well as free immunisation services for children between zero and two years, among others.

Ugwu said that the free goodies and health consumables were part of Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi administration’s policy thrust to make rural health care service attractive, accessible and qualitative; thus, as a cardinal means of ensuring health for all in the state.

He noted that the ongoing ENS-PHCDA programmes – modified Integrated Medical Outreach Programme (mIMOP) and Routine Immunisation Intensification Programme (RIIP) – would ensure the free goodies and health consumables reaches all especially those that visit the PHC centres for any service.

According to Ugwu, the free diapers, drugs and medical consumables is meant to draw 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 utilised by the residents as ‘hospitals close to homes and neighbourhoods’ no matter how remote such dwelling 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 immunisation and PHC services noticeable due to the COVID-19 lock-down.

“Adding to what Gov. Ugwuanyi has done is the support from all our health partners both local and international organisations for the programmes.

“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 two 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,” Ugwu said.

He called on residents to take advantage of the programmes and ensure they visit PHC centre closer to them, adding: “There is a free gift waiting for you”.

The ongoing mIMOP and RIIP programmes would run to the end of the fourth quarter of the year.

The free PHC services include immunisation, treatment of minor ailments, health education and promotion, counselling services, screening for non-communicable diseases and general consultation etc.

It would be recalled that about 1, 146 healthcare workers and 873 community resource persons/volunteers had been trained and empowered with interpersonal communication and protective skills on COVID-19 protocol and guidelines to implement the two programmes in the PHC centres.

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