The Wife of Cross River State Governor and Founder/ Board Chair of Partnership Opportunities for Women Empowerment Realization (POWER) Mrs. Obioma Liyel-Imoke has called on Faith based Organizations and Spiritual Leaders to join in pneumonia advocacy by preaching consistently to their followers on the need to imbibe the best approach in prevention and treatment of pneumonia.
She made the call when ‘Breathe of Life’ a Pneumonia advocacy project initiated under her NGO (POWER) collaborated with the State Ministry of Health, Social Welfare and Community Development, and the Department of Religious Matters to commemorate this year’s World Pneumonia Day in Cross River on November 12th 2013
Activities marking this year’s event included free screening, de-worming and treatment of sick children less than five years at the venue by medical team and advocacy/sensitization walk led by Mrs. Liyel-Imoke and was joined by the wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Glory Cobham, Wife of the Speaker some members of the State Executive Council as well as Faith Based Organizations, Church leaders, Traditional Rulers, Government Officials, Medical Team and members of the public in a walk which kicked-off from the Agro Feed Junction, 8 Miles and terminated at the open ground of the Christian Central Chapel International (CCCI) AKA Faith Mansion World Centre.
In her advocacy/sensitization message the Founder/Board Chair, POWER, stressed the need for mothers to observe simple health practices as outlined by the medical health practitioners and urged them not to pay attention to religious biases against orthodox medicine but think of the health and the lives of their children first. She called on the all stakeholders including religious leader to be conscious of this year’s theme ‘Innovation’ to educate their followers on pneumonia prevention stating that “People perish due to lack of knowledge; you have a responsibility to sensitize your congregation and in sharing of necessary information on pneumonia prevention. She said.
She therefore gave tips on simple things to do to prevent pneumonia to include, proper hand washing to prevent germs, cross ventilation, good nutrition, exclusive breastfeeding and Immunization. She thanked the President of CAN, Arch Bishop Emeritus Joseph Ukpo and all the religious leaders for joining her in marking the day.
The Commissioner for Health Prof. Angela Eyo Ita reminded the crowd that Mrs. Imoke was the first person in the Country to partner with Pfizer in administering Prevenar 13 Vaccine that prevents pneumonia. She called for more collaboration in support of her humanitarian projects. She disclosed that half of children’s mortality was as a result of untreated Pneumonia and diarrhoea and that diarrhoea is the second major cause of infant mortality. She said Governor Imoke led administration has provided health facilities to every community in order to combat such diseases and asked the populace to take advantage of it. “Most children die of pneumonia because they don’t have prompt attention. You don’t need to seek help late, there are drugs in the system and health centres in every community”. She urged parents to immunize their children against killer diseases.
On her part the Commissioner for Social Welfare and Community Development Barr. Patricia Endeley said the theme for this year’s World Pneumonia Day “Innovation”, presents a blank check for every stakeholder to fill in innovation strategies in the fight against pneumonia scourge. She reminded that Mrs. Imoke had impacted this knowledge (on pneumonia prevention) through the wives of Local Government Chairmen.
Making a presentation on the topic ‘The role of the Church in Promoting Good Health, His Grace, Arch. Bishop Emeritus, Joseph Edra Ukpo who is also the president of Christian Association of Nigeria promised that the church of Christ will continue in her mission of caring for humanity both in body and spirit as Christ professed in the bible. He appreciated the steps taken by the Governor’s wife in combating pneumonia in the state and restated that her program, ‘Breathe of Life’ is very much in touch with life. He praised her for saving many lives through her humanitarian programs and promised on behalf of CAN to carry the message to their followers.
Speaking earlier, the Special Assistant Public Health/NGO and Special Projects Dr. Regina Ejemot-Nwadiaro stated that pneumonia stands as the highest killer of children under 5 years. Reeling out statistics, Nwadiaro pointed out that about 20 children die of pneumonia every hour in Nigeria, translating 177,000 deaths a year. She commended Mrs. Imoke for blazing the trail in pneumonia intervention which started in 2009. She also commended the Governor Senator Liyel Imoke for providing free health care for mothers and children under five in the state.
She said that Breathe of life decided to focus on religious leaders as they stand as great advocate in carrying the message on pneumonia prevention to their followers. She thanked His Grace Bishop Emeritus Arch Bishop Joseph Edra Ukpo for gracing the event and rounded up with a beautiful quotation that “The bank of love is never bankrupt”. “By coming out today to partner with Breathe of Life in this crusade against pneumonia will continuously reaffirm that”.
The Executive Director POWER Mrs. Tammie Kammonke posited that since the inception of the present administration, Mrs. Liyel Imoke has consistently used her NGO POWER as the tool for designing relevant development for children. She said POWER would continue partnering the Office of the Wife of Governor in carrying out pneumonia intervention stating that the aim was to sensitize the people on the responsibility to continue to fight the pneumonia scourge.
While donating drugs worth millions of Naira to Breathe of Life, Mr. Paul Agbulu of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria promised to continue to partner Breath of Life on the fight against pneumonia
The representative of Pfizer Pharmaceutical Company, Mrs. Uchenna Anagboso commended Mrs. Imoke for her passion on the fight against pneumonia through advocacy/ sensitization and revealed that it was as a result of her activities in pneumonia prevention and treatment that she was nominated for the GAVI Award. The Company donated Pneumonia Speaking Books to support her.
Goodwill messages were delivered on the occasion by the Special Adviser on Religious Matters Pastor Ene Okpo Ene, represented by the Head of Administration Rev. Obi Simon, Bishop Emmah Isong’s representative Pastor Kaiso Esiere as well as the President of Medical Women Association Dr. Happiness Ntia and her predecessor Dr. Atana Ewa.
Highpoint of the event was the distribution of the speaking books and mosquitoes treated nets as well as free screening exercise de-worming and treatment of the sick at the venue of the event.