A United States of America -based Medical Team, “Inspire Hope Foundation” (IHF) in collaboration with Abia State office on Diaspora Matters have conducted a one day Train-The-Trainer workshop tagged “Helping Babies Breathe” for Abia health workers selected from the state 17 LGAs.
The leader of the USA team, Nigeria -born Dr. Chinyere Anyaogu, while Speaking during the workshop said the training was aimed at stopping child mortality in the state.
The state Director of National Orientation Agency ( NOA), Dr Lady Ngozi Okechukwu and the Executive Secretary of the State Primary Health Development Agency ( SPHDA) Dr Chinagozi Adindu harped on the need not only to train health workers on how to manage babies during and after birth, but also to train others.
A resource person and Neonatologist from the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Dr Ikechukwu Okonkwo stated that if babies do not breathe well, they would have slim chances of survival, stressing that in view of Nigeria’s second position ranking in global neonatal figure and pre-birth death, Abia state ought to address the challenge and step up her anti child mortality curbing efforts in addition to her other interventions in the health sector.
Another resource person and Consultant from the Federal Medical Center Asaba Delta state, Professor Angela Okolo said ideally, a baby should not be admitted in a medical facility in the absence of or without the mother.
Abia State Adviser to the governor on Diaspora Matters and Special Duties, Dr Ngozi Ogbonna-Erondu, while assuring the training will be extended beyond the state capital, charged health workers to do the needful to help babies breathe.
Declaring the workshop open, the state Health Commissioner, Dr Joe Osuji represented by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs Franca Ekwuribe, said the State government provided the enabling environment for the IHF Medical Team of experts from USA and those from outside Abia state to conduct the training.
He enjoined the Health Worker- Trainees to, after the training, be more passionate as they apply the knowledge acquired in their work to facilitate the reduction of child mortality rate.
MTO/Sun