By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
Worried by poor attendance of pregnant women to
primary health centres in Akwa Ibom State, a member
of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Samuel Ibe
has launched a campaign to create awareness on the
need to reverse the trend.
Ibe who said he was moved to launch the campaign
after he noticed that though the health centre located at
Ikot Ayan, in Uyo, the state capital was well equipped
with drugs and modern medical facilities, yet the
attendance by the community was poor also said he
was worried by the trend.
Speaking at Ikot Ayan health centre shortly after the
lunch of the campaign which included a health talk, free
medical service, the unveiling of a new signpost for the
health facility, the corps member expressed sadness
that women instead of making use of the health facility
preferred the services of Traditional Birth Attendants
(BTA) and religious organisations.
“I have been in this community for some months and
noticed that there is a good health facility but the
community does not come for their health needs at the
health centre
‘The community participation is very low, most time;
women come to register for the Ante Natal Care
services but prefer to give birth in their homes.
‘The campaign is to sensitize the people on the need to
avail themselves of the services provided at the health
centre,’’ he said.
Ibe, a graduate of public health from the University of
Calabar expressed appreciation to those who supported
the sensitization campaign which he said included
public spirited individuals and churches saying the
campaign including the new signpost which was also
unveiled during the campaign launch and the free
medical service were executed at a cost of N375,000.
Commenting on the project, Grace Uyoe, the Primary
Health Coordinator of the local government said the
state government might be forced to close down the
health facility if the poor attendance continued.
Uyoe who stressed the importance of a regular health
check to prevent untimely death appealed to the
community for a change of attitude.
According to her, if the poor attendance persists, the
state government could post the health workers to
another hospital in the local government.
She also raised the issue of the high prevalence rate of
HIV in the state and urged the people to know their HIV
status to enable them prevent the further spread of the
virus.
In his remarks, Oluwole Amuson, NYSC state director
represented by Gabriel Unachukwu, head of community
development service commended the corps member for
the ‘legacy he has said in his community’ describing his
contribution as being part of the core cardinal
programmes of the NYSC.
He urged the community to make use of the health
facility to sustain the campaign saying Ibe has made
the NYSC proud.
It was gathered that both routine immunization and the
recent child health week activities in the health centre
recorded poor response.
The event was attended by an official of the NYSC as
well as the coordinator of primary health care in the
local government among other dignitaries.

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