By Harris-Okon Emmanuel - Warri
Delta State governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, has said that the huge investment his administration has made in healthcare will facilitate the process towards the state achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on maternal and children health care by 2015.
He explained that the numerous healthcare programmes of his government were meant to give all Delta citizens quality life through adequate, accessible and affordable medical and healthcare delivery system, stressing that the emphasis on maternal and childcare was because they represent the weaker classes in society.
The government recently inaugurated a 100-bed maternal and childcare centre at Warri Central Hospital as part of efforts to achieve the MDGs.
Besides, the government also inaugurated ambulance services with a view to reducing the morbidity and mortality rates in the state.
Elated Uduaghan who performed the ceremony, described women and children as the bedrock of any civilized society, but noted that unfortunately, they were susceptible to a wide variety of medical conditions and diseases.
According to him, it was in recognition of this fact that the MGDs 4 and 5 were targeted at women and children so as to protect their lives and promote their health.
Uduaghna said his administration places high premium on the health and lives of the people of the state which led to the establishment of the free maternal healthcare programmes in 2007 and the free under five healthcare in 2010.
‘‘With these programmes, we have greatly reduced the risk of injury and death in women from pregnancy-related causes and in children from disease. Our steadily declining maternal mortality and under five mortality rates are attestation to these facts’’, he said.
O the ambulance services, he said the increasing carnage on the highways due to road traffic accidents was the driving force for the creation of the services, adding that time was an important factor in determining the chances of survival of accident victims and that prompt evacuation to higher level of care could indeed save lives. Health Commissioner, Dr. Joseph Otumara, said the centre was built to handle very difficult obstetrics and pediatric cases. “It is planned to be a referral centre and has the equipment and staff to function effectively at the tertiary level,” he said.