Impending Flood: Anambra trains 120 health workers

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By Madu Obi

Awka- AS part of preparations for the impending flood, the Anambra State government is training 120 health workers drawn from the 21 local government areas of the state.The trainees are undergoing a one -month training on life saving skills on how to reduce maternal and infant mortality in the flood - prone areas.

The training is being sponsored by the United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF in collaboration with the state Ministry of Health.

The state reproductive health coordinator in the Ministry, Dr. Uju Okoye explained that the flood- prone areas contributed more trainees because of the problems usually encountered in those areas during flood seasons.

Okeke said: "Basically we want to empower the health care workers on the skills that are necessary in health facilities. We believe that as their skills are upgraded, maternal and infant mortality will reduce drastically in line with the three- year plan of the wife of the state governor, Mrs. Nonye Soludo in the health sector."

According to her, the state is doing well in the national survey on maternal and child mortality, adding that the state's 281 per 100,000 deaths is far above the national rate of 512 per 100,000 deaths.

One of the trainers, Professor Brian Adimma, who is a professor of Reproductive Health in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, said the people being trained would mainly look after pregnant women in their areas.

"They are taught the basics of antenatal care and problems that might arise during childbirth. They are also taught how to handle child delivery and record keeping in the maternity."

Adimma commended the Anambra State government and UNICEF for being proactive, adding that "a state can build beautiful hospitals, but if there are no competent workers, such hospitals are as good as useless."

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike urged the trainees to take the training serious to be able to impart the right knowledge on other health workers down the line.