…Hails U-TOLF, Vitamin Angles’ Collaboration Towards Women, Children’s Health

By Chris Ugwuja, Nsukka

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, on Monday, reiterated that quality, accessible and affordable healthcare delivery to the people of the state will remain at the front burner of his administration’s eight – point agenda.

Gov. Ugwuanyi restated this when he flagged off the distribution of medical commodities received from the pet-project of the First Lady of Enugu State, Mrs. Monica Ugochi Ugwuanyi, Ugo’s Touch of Life Foundation (U-TOLF), for the good health of the mothers and children in the state.

The commodities were donated to U-TOLF by the Vitamin Angles to provide succor to vulnerable pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and children under five years, especially those who are at risk of malnutrition and do not have access to national health services.

Flagging off the distribution exercise, Gov. Ugwuanyi stated that his administration’s concerted efforts in ensuring that mothers, new born babies and children under five years get the best healthcare have been supported by the gesture.

The governor, therefore, commended Ugo’s Touch of Life Foundation and the Vitamin Angles for their rewarding years of partnership in providing succor to women and children in the state, stressing that U-TOLF is “unarguably the most impactful NGO in Enugu State”.

He disclosed that “this partnership is currently in its fourth year”, saying: “With this collaboration, we have had the opportunity to further strengthen health and well-being promotion in the communities we serve”.

Gov. Ugwuanyi, who pointed out that the Enugu State Ministry of Health, the State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ENS-PHCDA) and the people of the state have been beneficiaries of this partnership between U-TOLF and the Vitamin Angles, revealed that the state government has recorded over 3 million women and children who have benefited from the distributions using the state channels.

The governor, therefore, directed the State Ministry of Health to ensure the efficient and effective distribution of the commodities through its channels “in a manner that they will reach the target population”.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Emmanuel Ikechukwu Obi, expressed delight that the four-year old partnership between the Ugo’s Touch of Life Foundation and the Enugu State Government through the State Ministry of Health has continued to yield fruits “impacting positively on the vulnerable maternal, new born babies and children under five-year population”.

Dr. Obi highlighted that the commodities received for distribution include, multiple doses of Prenatal Multivitamins, cartons of Vitamin A and multiple doses of Albendazole (for treating worms), which were donated by the Vitamin Angles as well as Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) (for the management of diarrhea) and Paracetamol tablets (for pains and treatment of fever) donated by Sidom Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd based in Enugu.

The Health Commissioner announced that a distribution monitoring team will be headed by the Executive Secretary of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. George Ugwu “drawing membership from the Ministry of Health and Ugo’s Touch of Life Foundation, with the purpose of ensuring that the targeted beneficiaries will be the final recipients with proper records”.

Also present at the event include the Chairman, House Committee on Health, Hon. Sam Ngene, the Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Health, Dr. Ifeanyi Agujiobi, the Executive Secretary, ENS-PHCDA, Dr. Ugwu, the Executive Secretary, Enugu State Agency for Universal Health Coverage, Dr. Edith Okolo, the Hospital Administrator, State Hospital Management Board, Dr. Okechukwu Ossai and the Executive Director, U-TOLF, Stanley Okere, among others.

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