Rivers NMA To Launch School Health Initiative

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Rivers State chapter, has said that it would launch a School Health Initiative, a programme aimed at creating health and healthy consciousness among young people at the secondary school level.
The state NMA chairman, Dr Datonye Alasia, revealed this at a press conference to mark the association 57th Annual General Meeting in Port Harcourt, Monday.
Alasia said that the School Health Initiative, would serve as one of its unique platforms in complementing the state government’s stride in wholesome and all encompassing health care delivery and accessibility.
He stated that, the initiative would target mission and public schools across the state adding that, it would educate the young people on drug use and abuse, train the teachers and students on health issues including emergency response mechanisms, provide First Aid Kits to the schools as well as educate them on oral, mental, cardiovascular and other health areas.
Alasia said, “this is a time we come together to review what we have done within the years, raise topical issues and discuss around them, address some key areas related to health care delivery and opportunity to continue our Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS) and charitable activities”.
“One of the unique things about this event is that, it is a platform to launch certain key programmes that are significant, impacting positively and complementing government’s efforts in healthcare delivery in the state and one of such is the School Health Initiative. This programme is in view of the fact that young people are very significant component of the society yet are being neglected even in the area of health”.
Revealing the theme of the event, Medical Professional Advancement: The Threat from Within and Outside with the sub-theme, Bridging the Generational Gap, Alasia noted that medical profession was advancing rapidly across the globe with many challenges, stating that the forum would seek solutions to overcoming them with the view to achieving quality health care in the state.
The state NMA boss further noted that with the successions of generations, differences in professional ideas and perspective abounds saying, “this forum will also seek to bridge the gap between old and new professionals, forge a front across generations to have a common goal in trying to meet our set targets”.

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