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.

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.

The 140 ‘ Batch 31′ Medical doctors  trained by Abia State University Uturu ( ABSU ) have been formally inducted  by the  Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).

It was gathered that the MDCN had in the past seven years, similarly  inducted a total of 607 medical doctors trained by the university in different batches, however, this year’s is the first time the induction ceremony held at the Abia State University Teaching Hospital’s premises in Aba.

At the induction ceremony for the latest 140 medical doctors, the MDCN Registrar, Dr. Fatima Kyari, who was represented by Dr. Tijani Mandaka,threatened withdrawal of the Practicing Licence of any doctor who would contravene the medical doctors practice oath stipulations  hence, she exhorted the new Medical Doctors to always abide by the ethics of the medical profession.

The Vice Chancellor (VC), Professor Ndukwe Okeude, represented by  Professor Joshua Ogbonna, the deputy VC (Administration), said  that  the University would subsist training of quality medical doctors to brighten the future of health care in the country and beyond.

He urged the new doctors to use their acquired knowledge to advocate for health equity, pioneer medical innovation and act as agents of positive change, stating that the world awaits their healing hands and wise minds.

In his address, the Provost of the  College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Professor Chuks Kamanu, attested that the  inducted medical doctors were appropriately trained and equipped with practical experience, values and principles that have positioned them to embrace  medical practice professionally.

Also speaking, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH ) Aba,  Professor  Ijeoma Nduka, in an address read on her behalf by Professor P . E . N. Onyemachi, the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC) of the Teaching Hospital, noted that this 2025 ( 31st induction ), ” is the very first induction ceremony of the College of Medicine and Health Sciences to be held at the Teaching Hospital Aba since the inception of the University”.

“We  are therefore, very humbled by this  honour and the opportunity to showcase this other side of the University”.  The CMD expressed gratitude to the State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, who she noted had within the short period of his leadership, done so much for both the Teaching Hospital and the College of Medicine.

According to Prof. Nduka “the Governor has gone ahead to provide for the re-accreditation of Post-graduate training in the Teaching Hospital; accreditation and upgrade for housemanship training in the Teaching Hospital, renovation of House Officers’ quarters in the Teaching Hospital, and secured plans for the building of an auditorium in the Teaching Hospital to accommodate the growing students population.

The CMD also noted that the Governor has also secured plans to build a Simulation Laboratory for ease of learning, in tandem with global standards for medical education; restored steady power supply to the Teaching Hospital; and employed medical personnel to boost services in the Teaching Hospital among others, thus  creating an enabling environment for healthcare delivery to thrive in the Teaching Hospital.

Prof Nduka therefore beckoned on the  inductees to take advantage of this opportunity to join the University Teaching Hospital  for their mandatory Housemanship training, assuring them of the necessary help and assistance.

According to the CMD, the importance of the induction ceremony and the bright future ahead of the inductees can hardly be overemphasized.

“They are our brightest hopes to take us to our promised El Dorado, especially now that we’re blessed to have a listening State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, OFR, who promptly attends to our requests, pays attention to staff welfare; and a health sector which has moved from regular industrial actions to steady, consistent service delivery”.

REPORTED BY GORDI UDEAJAH