The Abia State government has begun the equipment and operation of 33 new Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across the state to reduce infant and maternal mortality rate and sudden deaths.
The Abia Health Commissioner, Prof. Ogbonnaya Uche in Umuahia on Tuesday said that the 33 PHCs would be made functional in the week across the state starting with Umuahia North and South Local Government Areas (LGAs).
Uche, while speaking during the event at Nkwoegwu PHCs in Umuahia North and Ogbodinibe in Umuahia South LGA said Abia women should no longer die during child birth with such highly equipped PHCs.
He warned women not to patronize the services of local birth attendants in order to avoid the challenges that come with their services.
Uche promised that Nkwoegwu PHC will soon have a delivery theatre to cater for the needs of women requiring cesarean section to have their babies.
“We came to open these PHCs to treat you to stop sudden deaths. Our cries for more than 24 years has been turned around by Gov. Alex Otti.
“Here you have equipment you cannot see in some general hospitals, you have auto analysers, Heart / Oxygen Monitors, Heart fibrillators, Ultrasound equipment among others courtesy of Gov. Alex Otti,” he said.
Mr Obi Aguocha, House of Representatives member for Umuahia South, North and Ikwuano Federal Constituency, said he was happy because the PHCs were being made functional today.
He said the people from his constituency have benefitted immensely from the government of Gov Alex Otti who has incorporated their children in his cabinet and been working for their good.
Aguocha said a man such as Otti needed to be rewarded with the opportunity to do more for the people and called on his constituency to return him to Abia Government House in due course.
The Chief Protocol Officer to the Governor, Mr Uche Nwosu said he was motivated to help his people get the PHC because of the immense suffering they go through to access a health facility.
He said people from Ogbodinibe died while seeking to reach the closest health facility many miles away but noted that even if some patient would need referral now, they could get some aid first.
Nwosu said that Ogbodinibe people were located in a remote area with bad roads which had been a problem for them for years in many ways but thanked Gov Alex Otti for giving them such help.
The Executive Secretary, Abia Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Kalu Uma said the PHCs were meant to be used by the people in the communities and urged them to take advantage of the facilities.
He urged the communities to own the projects and ensure that they protect them.