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Fubara, An Exceptional Leader -Rivers Women …As RSG Donates Sanitary Towels, Bags Of Rice To 23 LGAs

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The President of the Rivers Women Unite for Sim, Mrs Sotonye Toby Fulton, has described the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, as an exceptional leader sent to alleviate the sufferings of women and children in the State.
Fulton stated this in Port Harcourt while taking delivery of gift items provided by the Rivers State Government for women during this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) celebration in the State, last Friday.
The theme for this year’s IWD is ‘Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress.’
She noted that this year’s IWD took a different dimension in the State as women leaders across the 23 local government areas in the state took delivery of gift items given to them by the state government for distribution to poor women in the state.
Some of the items distributed by the state government to each of the 23 local government areas in the State include over 1,000 sanitary towels and 30 bags of rice.
The women leader noted that Fubara is a calm and peaceful man that loves touching lives positively without making noise about it.
“Not everybody likes to make noise in doing good and one of such persons is His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara. he doesn’t make noise about his achievements”, she stressed.
“The rivers state Governor, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara is being sensitive to the plights of women and children in the society and as such has given sanitary pads and bags of rice to be distributed to rivers women,” Fulton added.
Fulton urged the various women leaders to ensure equitable distribution of the gift items to poor women across the 23 local government areas in the State irrespective of their political leanings, warning them to guide against personal aggrandizement.
“you must resist the urge for personal aggrandisement as there are those that need these items more than you do. Try to make some sacrifices for others, especially those in need. we understand the harsh economic downturn across the nation, but then, it is better to give than to receive. bear also in mind that givers never lack”, she said.
She also charged women to be humble and supportive to their husbands especially if they are blessed by God to be breadwinners in their homes.
According to her, it is unacceptable for any woman to use her economic power to insult or disrespect her husband because of his inability to provide for the family.
“Men too suffer one form of abuse or the other, but they are not able to speak out. Many of them rather prefer to bottle up and when they can no longer endure, they quit their marriages, which ordinarily wouldn’t have happened”, she noted.
Also speaking, one of the women leaders from Okrika, and member of the Rivers State Task Force on Sanitation, Princess Ibiene Ogan, thanked the Governor for his kind gesture to women in the State.
“We are here to receive some items donated by His Excellency through our Rivers Women Unite women leader, Sotonye Fulton.
“It is so shocking and a great joy for us in the communities that the Rivers State Governor, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, thinks so much about the women even down to the grassroots.
“This has never happened before. so, we are happy with him and we look forward to him to take us through the hard times to the better times.
“We all know that as a woman, you must go through your menstrual cycle and many of them are passing through difficult times, such that they cannot afford to buy sanitary pads and rice. so for me, these are the best gifts his excellency can give the women in the State”, Ogan said.
Another women leader from Gokana, Mrs Florence Kpoobe, while also appreciating Fubara’s gesture, urged well-meaning individuals to emulate the governor and join forces with his administration by investing in the girl-child education.
“This kind gesture witnessed today by His Excellency, I haven’t seen it in the history of Rivers State as such. I am urging all women to join hands with the governor to build peace that we all yearn for in the State”, she said.
Immediate past Vice Chairman of Ogu/Bolo Local Government Council, Barrister Christiana Tamunobereton-ari, who also thanked Fubara for the gift items, urged women to always speak up against abuse and intimidation.

Susan Serekara-Nwikhana

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RIVCHPP Mulls Plan For Universal Health Coverage In Rivers

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Board of the Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP) has expressed its readiness and determination to ensure universal health coverage for all residents of the state.

Chairman of the Board, Professor Chike Princewill, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen shortly after the Board’s inaugural retreat in Port Harcourt.

Chike also said so far over 110,000 have been enrolled into the programme in the state since its commencement last year.

He said the retreat was to inform the people that the Board has hit the ground running.

“The Board has just had their inaugural meeting and retreat, which  started yesterday. We are trying to inform the public, those residing in Rivers State, that we have hit the ground running.

“From last year when we commenced until when the Board was officially inaugurated last month, we in this Board have resolved to make sure that the universal health coverage is covered and Rivers people or any body living here can benefit from it”, he said.

The Board Chairman further said a lot have been achieved since last year, adding that, “as we speak to  you, over one hundred and ten thousand enrollees have been recorded in Rivers state across the twenty three local government areas with the help of the Executive Secretary and management.”

He said staff of the Board have been sent to all local government areas, stressing that it was part of  RIVCHPP’s effort to unbundle secondary health care with the view to making it more effective.

Professor Chike further said with the signing of the universal health coverage Act into law, the agency will expand the scope of its activities to cover everyone living and doing business in the state.

“We are are trying to even unboundle secondary care, and, of course, you know the new Act has been signed involving universal health coverage that every person is involved. So, we also include to expand the scope of the private facilities that were engaged in this health insurance programme.

“We want to assure Rivers people or anybody who live in Port Harcourt or Rivers State that you all will be given the best of facilities.

“We have discussed at length with those who have been given primary assignment in the local government primary health care centres and other facilities that we use for this  purpose.

“We have  our personnel that we are sending to the local governments as well and all the nooks and crannies of the state to make sure that the necessary things are done”, he said

He stressed the need for people to take their health seriously, saying, “you have to be healthy, you have to be alive to achieve, we believe that with your support it will come to pass. We encourage you to enroll.”

He also stressed the need for people to get their National Identity Numbers (NIN) to enable them benefit from the programme.

“You need your  national identification number, so you can be effectively captured”, he stated.

According to him, the National Health Insurance Agency which is partnering with RIVCHPP, is also emphasizing  that the NIN is necessary.

“When you register and enroll, we will look for those things so that it can be effectively captured. if you don’t have your NIN, you will be  de-enrolled because it is a directive from the National Health Insurance  Agency, and because we are working with them, we are expecting all of us to key into this programme.

“Health is key to us. We are ensuring that those who are at the end of our tentacles are also living up to standard”, he stated.

He advised health workers to ensure that when patients and their relatives come to their facilities, they are effectively handled and taken care of, and respecting them as human beings.

“As care givers, this is what we want to let all of us know”, he said.

Professor Princewill also advised all the new  local government chairmen to also put their hands on deck to encourage their people to enroll in the programme.

 

John Bibor & Birane Progress

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VC Reveals Impact Of AI … As IAUE Hosts Conference

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The Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Prof. Okechukwu Onuchuku, has revealed valuable insights on how scholars can thrive in an AI-driven country.

Speaking at the 40th Conference of English Scholars Association of Nigeria (ESAN), tagged “Advancing the frontiers of Digital Humanities Research in English and Literary Studies”, with the theme, “Teaching English and Literary Studies in Nigeria’s Tertiary Institutions in The Era of AI”, Prof. Onuchukwu said the theme of the Conference provides a roadmap for navgating the challenges and opportunities being presented in AI, and Prepared to impact knowledge on humanity.

In her speech, the Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), Prof. Ibiere Ken-Maduako, said the theme of the Conference is apt, considering the role AI is playing in the country.

Maduako, who’s the Dean, Faculty of Humanities, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, called on participants to use the oppprtunit to contribute towards enhancement of knowledge.

“As I speak, members of the Faculty and the institution’s Management are elated over the successful hosting of the Conference. It was made possible on the support the VC, staff and students accorded us.

Highlights of the conference, which was held in conjunction with the English and Literary Studies Department, included induction of new members, Presentation of papers by scholars from different tertiary institutions in Nigeria that reveales benefits of AI

“I m optimistic that the conference will achieve its set goals. Students are expected to participate actively and leverage on the gains to improve”, She said.

 

 

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TB-Network Profers Multifaceted Approach To HIV, Others

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TB-Network, one of the networks working on AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (ATM), has profered a multifaceted approach in the fight against ATM and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Nigeria.

The Rivers State Coordinator of TB-Network, Mr. Messiah F. Muzan, who disclosed this recently in a media parley in Port Harcourt, said one of such approaches is to extend the National Health Insurance programme to the poor and most vulnerable in Nigeria.

“The National Health Insurance programme enjoyed by the formal sector should be extended to other citizens of Nigeria, particularly the poor and most vulnerable “, he said.

He explained that this is because the poor are often less educated and unemployed, and consequently lack the ability to pay out-of-pocket for high costs associated with frequent illnesses.

Muzan listed other approaches to include: funding and finances for Primary Health delivery should be carefully mapped out and sanctioned against any misappropriation or mismanagement, to enable a robust public health programme at all Ward levels in the local government; communication and education programmes can raise knowledge and awareness, and, in turn, improve testing and care-seeking.

“There is a great need to educate, engage, and empower the communities to embrace any behaviour change relevant to achieving success in malaria, HIV, and TB control in Nigeria”, he explained.

Others are: “Every word should commit to health promotion and education programmes to increase awareness of prevention measures; and promote community participation and adherence to evidence-based strategies.

“Commmit adequate resources through advocacy and partnerships, for the full and effective implementation of all planned interventions, including through involvement of the private sector, community participatory approaches.

“Community members should actively support and advocate for their local Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs). Community involvement is crucial in ensuring the sustainability and effectiveness of these centers.

“Additionally, community support can manifest through volunteering, donating resources, or participating in advocacy efforts to secure increased funding and resources for PHCs”, he stated.

The TB-Network boss identified the manifestions of GBV to include domestic abuse, verbal aggression, physical violence, rape, early marriages, incest, Female Genital Cutting (FGC), acid attacks, and outright killing.

He also disclosed that the COVID 19 Response Mechanism/RSSH aimed at intervening in various facets of GBV-related issues being implemented in Rivers State has recorded a lot of successes in general terms, among which is the part directly played by TB-Network.

According to him, “TB-Network in their bid to tackle the menace of GBV, has achieved enormous success through community outreaches to sensitise the communities’ members on the subject matter, the effect and consequences on perpetrators and survivors.

“With the help of our valuable state partners, like the state response team, Ministry of Health, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC), Police, FIDA, National Human Rights Commission, Rivers State Agency for the Control of AIDS (RIVSACA), and Ministry of Justice, we are able to legally fight this ill that is eating into the fabrics of our dear Rivers State.

“Currently, TB-Network is advocating for justice for two survivors of GBV cases in the State.”

Muzan concluded that addressing the issues of ATM and GBV requires robust action: “Strengthening infrastructure, securing financial resources, renewing political leadership, and fostering collaborationa are essential.

“Evidence-based interventions, such as community-led monitoring, should be scaled-up.

“Additionally, innovative services delivery models and technological adaptations are critical to minimise disruptions to routine care.”

Soibi Max-Alalibo

 

 

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