Stop Patronizing Quacks, Visit Health Centres For Your Safety, DELGA Chairman Urges Mothers
•••As He Flags Off Maternal Newborn, Child Health Week
•••Discloses Plans To Shutdown 3 Contaminated Water Sources, Provide Potable Ones In Bakana Over Cholera Outbreak


The Executive Chairman of Degema Local Government Area, Hon. Michael John Williams, has urged pregnant and breastfeeding mothers to imbibe the habit of patronizing the Health Centres within their locality, rather than patronizing roadside quacks or self-medicating to minimize complications and deaths.

The Council Boss, who spoke, Wednesday, during the Flagoff of the Second Round of the Maternal, Newborn & Child Health Week (MNCHW) 2021, at the Council Secretariat in Degema, added that most health challenges, faced by pregnant women and their newborns were as a result of refusal by expectant mothers to see professionals, who not only properly examine them, but equally follow them up until they deliver safely.

While harping on the need for Antenatal care by pregnant mothers, the Council Chairman stressed that; "when you visit the Health Centres, they attend to both mother and the baby, so that when you give birth, both you and your baby will be safe.

"Most health challenges, faced by innocent children today could have been prevented, if you had obeyed the simple instruction of visiting the Health Centres and utilizing the free services provided by the Government.

"My father, our dear Governor, Chief Barr Nyesom Wike, is very interested in the well-being of Rivers people; not for the sake of your votes, but for you to be safe, healthy and go about your businesses.

"That is why he has revamped and upgraded facilities in all our hospitals and primary health centres across the State. So take advantage of this and be in health, because health is wealth," the Council Boss said.

The Chairman lamented that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was not fair to Degema and Rivers people, because it had stipulated a mandatory 2 terms of 8years for the governor to be in office as governor, otherwise Rivers people would have been glad to have him as a lifetime governor, owing to his superlative performance in office.

He stated that the governor had performed so well that Rivers people and Nigerians across party, religion and ethnic divides were now yearning for him to come and transform the Country as President in 2023.

While attributing his administration's successes to the sterling leadership of the governor, Hon. Williams stated that; "because of Gov Wike's tutelage, I am the best Chairman on Security in Nigeria.

"That assessment, nomination, voting and eventual emergence were independently decided by Nigerians and by the grace of God, we are going to Abuja next week to take the Award."

Meanwhile, on the Cholera outbreak in Bakana, the Council Boss disclosed that by next week, all confirmed 3 contaminated Boreholes and Wells at Dappa, Sogules and Oko Compounds, in Ward 2 and Ward 4 respectively, where highly acidic contents with Fecal Coliform contamination were confirmed, would be shutdown by the Council.

He added that Potable water would be provided in place of the contaminated ones by the Council, as soon as possible, in order to assuage the sufferings of those who depend on those water sources for their daily lives.

Hon. Williams in the interim, empathized on the need for Bakana and Degema people to be hygienic, by cleaning their environment, boiling their water, keeping their foods away from perching flies, visiting health facilities on time over suspected cases etc, as means to check the spread of the Cholera disease.

On her part, a retired Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Civil Service, Dr. Nnesochi Offor, who represented the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Mrs. Utchay Ndidi Chikanele, while encouraging mothers to take advantage of the programme, noted that the health of women and children could not be overemphasized, as they occupied a central place in the society.

"If we look round, we can see women and their children in their numbers. That is because, women are the bearers, carers and the rearers of children, and our children are the leaders of tomorrow. So it is keen that we should ensure that their health is at optimum.

"We know that the importance is what has necessitated the setting aside this week to enhance and promote the care of the women and children in Degema and in Rivers State in general.

"Therefore I shall request that we should take it very seriously and we should as much as possible, make and take full advantage of all the services that are being provided for you; not only for this week, but in continuance, because these services are available at all times in the primary healthcare centres," Dr. Offor noted.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Dr. Roland Obed-Whyte, who described the Council Chairman as a 'Health-Friendly' Chairman, commended him for agreeing to host Rivers State in Degema LGA for the health programme.

He stressed the importance of pre-assessment of pregnant women before delivery to save the lives of both the mother and child.

"It is important you know that pre-assessment before delivery is important in the care of every mother. Sometimes we call it antenatal care, because without care for the mother, somebody will have a child with deformity.

"It is important again that the mother after care, has safe delivery by a skilled birth attendant.

"Post natal care is also very important after delivery, including family planning. And these are major goals in public health sector that we must look at.

"For the child, we know very well that immunization is key to every child's survival. A lot of us do not take it serious.

"So coming to Degema to sensitize our people to take these adjuncts and these provisions very seriously is very very essential," Dr. Obed-Whyte emphasized.

He commended Degema people for coming out en masse to attend the programme, disclosing that the attendance was unprecedented since the commencement of the MNCH Week in Rivers State.

In his contribution, the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Primary Health-Care Management Board, Dr. Agiriye Harry, advised men of 40 years and above to regularly go for prostate screening, to avoid prostate cancer.

He equally urged women to regularly examine their breasts for lumps, in order to detect and address early signs of breast cancer.

Highpoint of the event was Flagoff of the programme by the Council Chairman, who performed the mock exercise of inoculating and administering drugs on a child, signaling the commencement of the MNCHW programme.

The event was well attended by dignitaries across the State including; the Executive Chairman of DELGA, Hon. Michael John Williams, his Vice, Hon. Mrs Maureen Harry, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Dr Roland Obed-Whyte; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs Uche Uriri; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Barr. Mrs. Ibiwari Clapton Ogolo and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government Affairs, Mrs. Itong Awani.

Others were; Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Primary Health-Care Management Board, Dr. Agiriye Harry, retired Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Civil Service, Dr. Nnesochi Offor, Director Ministry of Health (MOH) Degema, Dr. Idawarifa Cookey-Gam, heads and representatives of health partners including, Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH), Saving One Million Lives, Programme for Results (SOML P for R), Nutrition International (NI) and the Rivers State Primary Health-Care Management Board (RSPHCMB).

Others include; Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in DELGA, Disciple Peter Abbey, traditional rulers, top functionaries and Staff of the Council, amongst others.


Daerefa-a Christopher Braide
Chief Press Secretary,
Degema Local Government Council

March 2, 2022