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Minister Tasks Paediatricians On Infant Mortality

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The Enugu state Acting Governor, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, has challenged health professionals in the country, especially paediatricians to intensify efforts to reduce the present infant and under -five mortality rates in the country.

Declaring open, the 44th Annual General and Scientific Conference of the Paediatric Association of Nigeria in Enugu over the weekend, the Acting governor, who was represented on the occasion by the state commissioner for health, Dr. Fidelia Ugwu, noted that the call had become necessary to enable Nigeria achieve the Millennium Development Goals by the year 2015.

The theme of the conference is “The Challenges of Improving Child Health Indices in Nigeria”.

Mr. Onyebuchi regretted that with this shocking statistics from the UNICEF, Nigeria is presently ranked the second largest contributor to the under – five and maternal mortality rate in the world, adding that the death of newborn babies in Nigeria represents a quarter of the total number of deaths of under – five children globally.

He, however, disclosed that as part of efforts to reduce child and maternal death, Enugu state government had introduced free maternal and child health scheme, including the distribution of long lasting insecticide treated mosquito nets to all households in the state, de – worming of children twice every year and intensified childhood immunisation coverage of 80% .

Speaking, the president of Pediatric Association of Nigeria, Dr. Dorothy Esangbedo, disclosed that the association with the support of Latter Day Charities of USA, has so far trained more than 400 medical doctors and nurses in the past one year as part of its commitment to boost health care in the country.

While calling on the federal government to include rotavirus vaccine in the national childhood immunisation schedule, “as rotavirus infection is the leading cause of diarrhea in infants”,

Dr.Esangbedo showered praises on the chairman of local organising committee, Prof. Bede Ibe for organising what she described as the best conference since the new millennium.

Also in his own contribution, the chairman of the local organising committee and former deputy vice chancellor University of Nigeria Enugu – Campus, Prof. Bede Ibe, blamed government for the poor state of health facilities in the country, stressing that despite the availability of manpower, government had failed to equip hospitals and health centres to improve health care delivery.

Prof. Ibe, therefore, called on the National Assembly to enact a law making it a punishable offence for any government official to seek medical treatment abroad on public funds, saying “I believe such a measure will compel those in leadership to fix the hospitals in the country and raise their standard to be at par with those overseas”.

Earlier, in a thrilling lecture, the director of the Catholic Institute for Development Justice and Peace, CIDJAP, Enugu Diocese, Prof. Obi ora Ike, lashed at Nigerian medical doctors who allow some patients to die while insisting on payment of deposit before attending to them and regretted that it was only in Nigeria that people with gun shot injuries were refused treatment until a police report was presented, even when their health condition was threatening.

According to him, it was shocking that in Nigeria, many children die because of lack of water, hunger, lack of common drugs, no schools to attend, while many of them live in streets as a result of poverty.

“I therefore use this occasion to renew my appeal to the government and the wealthy in the society to bring succor to all those in need so that our society can be better, so that Nigeria can hope for a better future”.

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South East

Corpse Of Woman Found In Ebonyi Hotel Room

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The police in Ebonyi State say they have discovered the body of a yet to be identified middle-aged woman in a hotel room in Abakaliki, the state capital. The spokesperson of the police in the state, Loveth Odah, stated this yesterday.
She said the body has deep cuts on the chest and neck and has been deposited in a mortuary. According to the spokesman, it was discovered at Crown Garden Hotel located along the ever-busy Afikpo road in the capital city.
Mrs Odah, who said that the victim was found in the pool of her own blood, said the suspect had been identified as one Uchenna Awoke.
She said the hotel manager, Emmanuel Eze, the supervisor, and other workers had been taken to the police station for questioning and accused the hotel management of negligence.
“The manager of the hotel, the supervisor and other staff of the hotel were taken to the station for questioning and I must confess to you that the whole thing is negligence on the part of the hotel management. How can a guest be murdered in a hotel room and days after, the management is not aware of the incident.”
“We will investigate the matter properly and I assure you, the perpetrator of the act must be arrested and prosecuted. All we are asking is for the members of the public to avail the police of useful information that will lead to the arrest of the suspect.”

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South East

Senate Passes S’East Dev Commission Bill

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The Senate yesterday passed the South East Development Commission (Establishment) Bill 2018.
The proposed commission aims at enhancing the infrastructural development of the South East zone, which is grappling with huge ecological challenges.
It also seeks to act as a catalyst for the development of the commercial potential of the zone.
The proposed legislation requires the concurrence of the House of Representatives to become a bill of the National Assembly, and the President’s assent to become a law.
Senators Stella Oduah (PDP-Anambra) and Samuel Anyanwu (PDP-Imo) jointly sponsored the bill read in the Senate on June 22, 2016.
Its passage in the Red Chamber followed the presentation of the report of the Committee on Establishment and Public Service by its former Chairman, Senator Emmanuel Paulker (PDP-Bayelsa), on the floor of the Senate.
The bill, after Paulker’s presentation, was considered clause by clause by the committee of the whole, and amendments made by the lawmakers were read for the third time and eventually passed.
In his remarks, presiding Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, commended his colleagues for a job well done.
In his words, “Every morning we pray that God should give us the grace to do only those things that will promote the peace and unity of this country.
“I believe that we have shown today that we are committed to the unity of this country, and it is this unity that will give us faith in this country.
“This faith will in turn help us to pursue peace and progress,” he said.
Briefing newsmen after plenary, members the South East caucus of the Senate, led by Sen. Enhinnaya Abaribe (PDP-Abia), thanked their colleagues and members of the committee for their efforts.
Abaribe, who spoke on behalf of the caucus, urged the President to sign the bill into law “as soon as we tidy it up and bring to him, in the interest of the unity and progress of Nigeria”.
“This will put to rest the long-drawn agitation in the South East, and the difficulties in the rehabilitation and reconciliation efforts that started at the end of the civil war.
“All things we see always will end up at the negotiating table, which is what we have done,” he said.
The lawmaker said he hoped the House of Representatives would give concurrence to the bill as it went in the Senate.
When established, the South East Development Commission would be the third zonal interventionist body in the country.

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South East

2019: Oyedepo Predicts Peace In Nigeria

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Bishop David Oyedepo, the Founder and Presideng Bishop, Living Faith Church Worldwide, on Saturday predicted that nothing would disturb the peace of Nigeria and its story would change for the better in the year 2019.
Oyedepo made the declaration at the just concluded annual prophetic gathering of the Winners’ family, christened the “Dominion”, in a satellite telecast of the church.
In the telecast monitored in Abuja, the cleric also declared that 2019 would be a year of “I have Dominion”.
“Nothing will tamper with the peace of Nigeria; the story will change for the better in the name of Jesus.
“Nigeria shall not see bloodshed, the Prince of Peace will continue to dominate in Nigeria, in Africa and Nigeria is declared blessed.
“Anywhere you step, accident is forbidden; death will not come near you and our nation.
“Anything that is of grace in my life, I freely release upon you today.
“God has opened the year 2019 to us, celebrate Him because its our year of “I have Dominion,” he said.
The Bishop added that the year 2019 would be a year of humbling testimonies for Nigeria and pace-setting testimonies.
He further declared that 2019 would be a colourful year for the nation.
According to the cleric, as long as Jesus has the final say on the issues of Nigeria, it will experience greatness.
Oyedepo said that there would be no more cause of alarm in any area of the nation and its citizens.
He advised Christians in Nigeria to delight themselves in the spirit of servant-hood, adding that the spirit of Christ is the spirit of servant-hood.
“The Spirit of Christ is the spirit of servant-hood. As you keep rising on the ladder of leadership, you must retain our spirit of servant-hood, constantly working to add value to others and be kingdom minded,” he said.
According to him, dedication is at the root of dominion, saying: “Sow yourself as a seed by being totally dedicated to God and His Kingdom’’.
He told his congregation that sacrificial giving guarantees the meeting of all their needs.
“When you engage in taking care of the well-being of others, God is also committed to your well-being,” he explained. The cleric admonished Christians would engage in meeting the needs of the needy, every barrier on their path of destiny would be crushed.
“Nobody tampers with your life, your career, your family and goes away with it because you are promoted to God’s kingdom.
“God will stand for your defence in the day of trouble. Every sacrificial giver has a defence around him in the day of trouble always have that in mind,” he said.
He reminded his congregation that the Church is not a building; the Church is a people and the Redeemed of the Lord.

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