BY GORDI UDEAJAH

Abia State Health Commissioner professor Enoch Uche has underscored the importance of routine eye examinations, stating that South East region of Nigeria, has the highest Glaucoma prevalence rate.

He spoke during the symposium kick-starting the State 2026 World Glaucoma Week in Umuahia, the state capital, stating that the best time has come for collaborative fight against Glaucoma, which he described as a ‘terrible disease’.

Professor Uche therefore called on every level of the society to be part of the fight against blindness, stressing that the Abia State government led by governor Alex Otti, has established health centers in all Wards across the state, and
tertiary health institutions in all the state three senatorial zones to ensure the health of the state citizenry.

He said that Abia State government has outlawed quackery and couching, and urged the citizenry not to patronize quacks, but the health centers that he said are equipped with drugs and modern health facilities by the governor Otti -led government deliberate health policy.

The Administrator of Abia State Eye Management Bureau ( Bureau ) Dr Betty Emeka- Obasi, who cited illiteracy and quackery as among the major problems against fighting blindness, lamented the unfathomable loss in social and economic implications.

She reported that there were 6,321 confirmed cases of Glaucoma in Abia State in 2024, lauding governor Alex Otti’s foresight by signing an executive order in July 2024, mandating that Abians should not lose their sight.

Stressing that fighting Glaucoma required concerted efforts of government, traditional institutions, professionals and faith based organisations, Dr Emeka-Obasi recalled that the State Eye Management Bureau , did 13,500 free eye screenings, and performed over 2,000 sight- restoring surgeries, among
others.

Chairman of the State 2026 World Glaucoma Week Symposium, Dr Abali Chuku, an Ophthalmologist and former Medical Director of the Federal Medical Center, FMC, Umuahia, Abia state, gave the global Glaucoma prevalence rate as 4.03, lamenting unfortunately, that 94% of the victims do not know of having it, until it becomes irreversible, adding that about 80 million people have glaucoma.

He therefore called for what he called aggressive management approach through health education and early diagnosis and treatment, and applauded the Abia State government efforts in health care delivery.

In the keynote address , Professor Bernardine Nsa Ekpeyong, a professor of public health Epidemiology, at the University of Calabar, recommended for early diagnosis and treatment, opining that doing so, is the surest way to prevent glaucoma which blindness caused by it ( Glaucoma ) is irreversible.

She described Glaucoma, as a silent ‘ Sight Thief ‘ warning against patronizing quacks and use of traditional medicine, hence according to her, ” the risk factor include age , family history, diabetes, cultural beliefs, among others, corroborating the prescription for regular eye check and use of prescribed medicines, including Eye Drops.

RRPORT BY GORDI UDEAJAH

 Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN ) has cautioned medical doctors against irrational or hurried migration to foreign countries , counseling that they carefully pre-weigh their decisions.

The MDCN Registrar , Professor Fatima Kyari who announced the caution yesterday while statutorily inducting into the medical practice, the 46 ‘ batch 4’ ‘GUU trained medical graduates, comprising 26 females and 20 males, reported that irrationally planned migration had exposed young doctors to exploitation that even stalled their careers.

The Registrar also cautioned the inductees against engaging in unwholesome practices than can impact derailing their professional growth. reiterating that the MDCN would not hesitate to sanction any doctor found to have violated professional ethics, further

Represented by the MDCN Head of Registration Unit, Dr Tijjani Mandaka, the Registrar, who stated that medical practice is one of the most strictly regulated professions, because of its direct impact on and concern to human life, therefore underscored it’s strict practice regulation geared towards protecting patients and upholding the integrity of the profession.

The MDCN Chief Executive Officer tasked the newly inducted doctors to place patient’s welfare above their personal gain, shun ethical breaches, unsafe migration and practices that undermine patients’s trust and national healthcare delivery, maintain integrity in practice and commit to continuous learning, particularly during internship and their early years of practice.

The GUU Founder and Proprietor, Professor Gregory Ibe in his address read by the Pro-Chancellor/Chairman of the Governing Council, Professor Augustine Uwakwe, described the induction as the fulfilment of his long standing vision to empower humanity through quality medical education, particularly in the health sector.

He attributed GUU achievement in this regard to discipline, perseverance and commitment reaffirming the University’s dedication to excellence, innovation and ethical practice, adding that graduates of its College of Medicine have reportedly continued to make meaningful contributions to healthcare delivery , nationally and globally.

The Vice Chancellor, Professor Cele Njoku, enjoined inductees to combine scientific competence with empathy, in view of that medicine goes beyond treating diseases to caring for people, emphasise collaboration, research engagement and respect for mentorship as essentials to professional growth.

The Provost of the GUU College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Professor Shedrack Offiah, charged the new doctors to uphold ethical standards, build resilience and embrace lifelong learning, describing their induction into practice as a passage from studentship to stewardship of human life.

The Pro Chancellor, Professor Augustine Uwakwe, had while commended the MDCN for guiding and acknowledging partnerships with the Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Medical Centre Umuahia, Abia State Government and Abia State Specialist Hospital Amachara in sustaining the GUU medical training and accreditation.

The GUU has so far produced 174 medical doctors , with the females out-numbering the males.

REPORTED BY GORDI UDEAJAH

Nigeria is said to have accounted for 29% of global maternal deaths, a figure the Abia state Health Commissioner Professor Enoch Uche described as unacceptable.

The Commissioner who announced this during flagg off of the 2025 Round Two Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW) in Umuahia, Abia state capital, said that the event reinforced the state government’s dedicated commitment to improving maternal and child health outcomes.

He commended the state government for implementing policies and programmes that demonstrate strong political will to reduce maternal and child mortality, adding that the ongoing upgrading of Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across the state is expanding access to quality healthcare.

While flagging off the exercise, the Abia state governor’s wife, Priscilla Otti, through the state deputy governor’s wife, Adaeze Emetu, said that the exercise was another significant step toward reducing preventable maternal and child deaths across the state.

Acknowledging that significant progress has been made and being made in this regard, she stressed the imperativeness to sustained efforts to safeguard the health of mothers and newborns.

She consequently charged health workers in the state to strengthen their skills, enhance communication with clients, and uphold professionalism to ensure that the health facilities are safeguarded and effectively utilized.

Mrs Otti in addition encouraged mothers, caregivers, and pregnant women to fully avail themselves of the week-long free exercise that included ‘Vitamin A’ supplementation, multiple micronutrient supplements provision to expectant mothers, who were not attended to during the June, edition.

The Executive Secretary of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Kalu Kalu, however reported that maternal mortality in Abia has declined to 136 per 100,000 births. but raised concerns that the under-five and perinatal mortality rates of 69 and 129 per 1,000 respectively, call for urgent action.

According to him, the MNCHW would offer free immunisation, vitamin A supplementation, deworming, antenatal care, and family planning services in all wards of the state.

A Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Izuka Michael, in her remarks pledged. WHO continued support towards reducing maternal and newborn mortality in the state.

The flagg off exercise featured the administration of ‘Vitamin A’ supplements to children aged below 5 years, and the distribution of gift items to mothers and children who participated in the exercise.

According to the state Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Maureen Aghaukwa, the flag-off was a call to action to encourage stakeholders to join hands with the government to safeguard the lives of mothers and children, with the initiative designed to extend healthcare access, especially to families in rural communities.