Healthy living for rural dwellers dominates NOA, UNICEF programme

In its efforts at sustaining a healthy living condition for the people, especially those living in rural areas, the National Orientation Agency (NOA), in collaboration with the UNICEF has organised a one-day sensitization programme for women in Abia State.

Speaking during the occasion at the Iyom Ozu Abam Hall, Ozu Abam in Arochukwu Local Government of the State, the Abia State Director of National Orientation Agency, Ngozi Uduma, officials of Minstry of Health Abia State, National Population Commission as well as representatives from Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) ,harped on the important roles played by mothers in the development of children in families.

Uduma who urged the women to extend whatever they might have learnt from the teachings, to other people in the community who were not present, disclosed that different communities were picked by her office in collaboration with UNICEF and other mother and Child-Friendly

Agencies, on monthly basis, for effective sensitization on issues that concern the lives of children and mothers.

The leader of the Iyom Ozu Abam,Comfort Ebere thanked the National Orientation Agency and the UNICEF for the life-changing sensitization programme which she said, came at no cost for them.

She promised to ensure that women of her community lived a healthy life through the implementation of the health tips received during the programme while pleading for a sustained visit by NOA to her town.

However, some of theparticipants, Priscilla Josiah, Ngozi Onuma and Hannah Mbaka complained that it was not easy for most nursing mothers to complete a 6-month breast-feeding period suggested to them, pointing out that sickness to a mother after child delivery could affect the stipulated 6-months for exclusive breast-feeding.

Another participant, Rose Imoh,67, regretted that she misused her treated mosquito nets in the past, by spreading them in her farm, assuring that she would henceforth utilize mosquito prevention net to remain healthy.

She also pledged to encourage her daughter-inlaw to breastfeed her baby for six months.

In an interview with journalists, the Director of NOA in Abia State, Uduma said the relevance of such programme was to step down the message to the people living in rural areas. “One of the things that Social Mobilisation and Technical Committee (SOMTEC) does is to choose communities where we can go to and step down the essential Family practices, as it concerns women and children. It takes place at the end of every month”, she said

The programme which was well attended by a mammoth crowd of women which cut across different age groups of young mothers and the aged ones was used to tackle some important health issues affecting the people like prevention of Malaria, Exclusive breast-feeding, hand-washing habit, prevention/management of HIV/AIDS, balanced food in-take, accurate population records as well as importance of adequate immunization for babies and nursing mothers which when put in practice would help in guaranteeing a healthy society for the people.

UDOKA AGWU