The United States Agency for International Development, USAID in Collaboration with Integrated Health Program IHP, is partnering with Journalists and the Ebonyi State Ministry of Health to improve Healthcare delivery in the State.
The State Director of USAID- IHP in Ebonyi State, Dr Gladys Olisaeke disclosed this during a workshop that was organised by USAID- IHP for the Journalists to enable them give better reportage and coverage on health matters.
Dr Olisaeke commended Journalists for the good works they have been doing in creating awareness on how to curb maternal and child mortality and morbidity in the State and Nigeria at large.
Olisaeke urged Journalists to help IHP to Sensitise the public on the importance of visiting health care facilities around them when they notice signs of illness.
The State Director, said the Objectives of the workshop is “To ultimately promote USAID- IHP intervention areas and help in the Change of attitude and behavior of audience for achieving better health care.
“To deepen the understanding and improve media coverage of health issues”.
She said IHP was out to ensure “Provision of quality maternity and newborn care in health facilities, routine immunization, early diagnosis and timely treatment of maternal and neonatal complications, malaria, diarrhea, and pneumonia in primary health care centers and secondary hospitals supported by IHP will improve the health of mothers and children, reducing tragic and unnecessary deaths from preventable disease”.
Media and IHP in Partnership
She explained that all these would be possible if IHP and Mass Media work in partnership.
“USAID-IHP has already 212 health Centers in 171 wards across the State and has spent over one hundred million naira to procure equipments to equip the facilities,” she explained.
The USAID-IHP Senior Monitoring, Evaluation and learning Manager in Ebonyi State, Mr Nnanke Etimita urged Journalists to write and disseminate information that would help in enabling the public to live a healthy life.
The USAID- IHP Knowledge Management Specialist, Mr Uche Anoke said the essence of the workshop was to educate and to equip Journalists on how to collaborate with USAID-IHP in Improving on health condition of Ebonyi people and Nigeria at large through enough health coverage.
Digital Medical Care
The IHP Monitoring, Evaluation and learning Specialist, Mr Kinsley Otueze also Educated the Journalists on how to access digital medical care.
Mr Otueze said in order to access their healthcare, the following numbers should be reached; 321 for people using Airtel Network and 08139840336 for people using other network.
All these are geared towards achieving a better health conditions of Ebonyi people and Nigeria at large.
On his part, The State Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Mr Tony Nwizi thanked USAID-IHP for the wonderful workshop and urged IHP to organise such workshop regularly.
Confidence Okwuchi
