Abia state commissioner for health, Dr Joe Osuji has charged health workers to take any training to upgrade their knowledge seriously to end child mortality.
The commissioner gave the charge while flagging off a one day Train the Trainer workshop for selected Health Workers from seventeen LGA of Abia State on the theme, “Helping Babies Breathe” held at women Development centre, Umuahia.
The workshop was organised by Inspire Hope Foundation in collaboration with, NOA, Abia State Primary Healthcare Development Agency and the Special Adviser to Abia State Governor on Diaspora Matters and Special Duties, Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Ogbonna-Erondu.
Dr Osuji represented by the permanent secretary, ministry of health, Mrs Franca Ekwueme charged the participants to hold the training firmly and demonstrate passion for their work.
He informed the gathering Abia State government has a healthcare friendly governor, who has also provided enabling environment for experts from United States and outside Abia to participate in the event.
In his welcome address, the executive secretary, Abia State primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Chinagozi Adindu said helping the babies breathe is very essential and promised that the training would be extended to the grassroots.
Dr Adindu stated that Abia State government under the leadership of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu have numerous health interventions to improve the healthcare of Abians.
Contributing, the state Director, National Orientation Agency, NOA Dr Ngozi Okechukwu said the agency in collaboration with others designed the training to empower the health workers to enable them reduce child mortality in Abia.
She revealed that available figures shows that Nigeria life expectancy is very low, and indicates fifty-five for men and sixty-five for women.
Dr Ngozi Okechukwu added that such figure is not acceptable by her and called on critical stakeholders to join hands to address the ugly challenge, which was the reason she brought the Inspire Hope Foundation to assist train Health Workers in Abia State.
In a lecture, a Neonatology Doctor from University of Benin, Dr Ikechukwu Okonkwo said in the whole world, Nigeria ranks second in neonatal figure and pre-birth death. He therefore, urged government to step up efforts to address the challenge.
There was practical experiment of the lectures from Health professionals.
The President Elect of Association of Nigeria Physicians in America, Dr Chinyere Anyaogu who led the delegation from the United States supervised the training of health workers on ways to handle babies during and after birth.
