Health workers in Ebonyi State Primary Health Care facilities have lauded the USAID- Integrated Health Program for providing medical equipment and other supports that have contributed in saving the lives of pregnant mothers, children in their different facilities.
According to them, USAID-IHP had provided basic equipment to their facilities including; Long artery forceps, kockers , cord scissors, Non-toothed dissecting forceps, needle holder, episiotomy scissors, cord clamp, drapes, Ampubags and mask, Penguine bulb, Kelly’s force, sponge holding force, long artery forceps, small artery forceps, among others.
They however call on the state government to intervene and use the money mapped out to improve the health care facilities that are at the edge of collapse by the time USAID-IHP withdraws their support including training and retraining of the health workers.
According to them, the training of health workers will have a good effect in the discharge of their duties.
The health workers disclosed this when some selected journalists partnering with USAID-IHP visited some of the facilities supported by the agency in Ezza North and Ikwo local Government Area of the state.
In an interview with a junior community health extension worker at the Maternal and Child healthcare facility, MCH Okposi Umuogharu, Ezza North local government area, Miss Igwe Charity, told Tribune Online that their facility is currently attending to newborn babies because of USAID-IHP intervention.Â
According to her, they usually refer newborns with cases to the teaching hospitals, thereby endangering their chances of survival.
Her words, “In February this year, we had cases of newborn babies having difficulty in breathing, but with the help of the Ambu bag and mask supplied to us by the USAID-IHP, we were able to resuscitate the babies, and they started breathing well,’ but before the intervention of USAID-IHP, we usually refers newborns with breathing challenges to FETHA and some of them die at the process” she said.
She further thanked American agency and IHP for the introduction of Nutrition room in their facility. According to her, it has helped the women to Know how to cook a delicious balance diet.
Also, at Echi-Alike Maternal and Child Healthcare Facility, another Junior Community health extension worker Miss Adaora Uchenna, commended the USAID-IHP for the support to their Facility which according to her has reduced maternal and child death in their area as there is an increase of pregnant mothers registering for ANC the facility.Â
“I want to thank USAID-IHP for their intervention in our facility. They provided everything for us including Ampubags and masks which have helped to save children who find it difficult to breathe after delivery.
“They also provided Nutrition room for us which we use to teach pregnant and lactating mothers on how to cook very nice food without even spending much and that has saved a lot of children from mal-nutrition.”Â
She further added, “Before the intervention of USAID-IHP, we don’t have records, folders where we document our patients vital information but now we have them because USAID-IHP provided them for us. Now we monitor our patients and track them accurately.
“Also, before we always find it difficult to see our patients folder because we pack everything together and that has even led to some having complications while some die at the process because of the delay in finding their folder to know their history but since the USAID-IHP provided shelves for us, we now file accordingly, thereby making the job easier for all of us.”
“We J-Chu are always here at the facility, I am calling for training and retraining of health workers because we are the people meeting with the patients at all time and should have answer to all their situation,” she said
Miss Uchenna however called on the state government to take the issues of health seriously to reduce the rate of maternal and child death which Ebonyi is leading in the South East.
According to her, “We don’t have an emergency Ambulance in our facility, we lack manpower, no security, no light. We want the state government to provide emergency ambulances for transfer of patients to another facility with equipment to save lives. Many women have died during child delivery for lack of means to transfer patients with complications to a referred facility.”
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