JOE EFFIONG, UYO
Journalists in Akwa Ibom State have drawn the attention of the state government to the deplorable condition of the primary healthcare services in the state by asking that they should be better funded and monitored to adequately take care of the infant, pregnant women and the aged.
On paper, the state is said to be providing free healthcare to under-5 children, pregnant women and the aged even as investigation had since proved that even infant immunization is paid for, while treatment of malaria in children of any age at government health centre, Wellington Bassey Way, close to Governor’s Office, Uyo, attracts between N3,000 and N6,000 per child.
Thus in their extra-ordinary congress to mark the first year in office of the present administration, the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalist on Tuesday, in a communique signed by the Chapel chairman and secretary, Comrade Idongesit Ashameri and Comrade Isaiah Eka, respectively, “advised the State Ministry of Health to focus on revitalizing the primary healthcare delivery system, especially with regards to pregnant and nursing mothers, as well as children under five years>”
Still in the communitque, the Chapel called on contractors handling road projects in the state to accelerate their activities to ensure all the roads currently under construction are completed for inauguration before the end of Udom Emmanuel’s administration.
But the Chapel equally asked the state ministry of works which commissioner recently disclosed that all road contractors have been mobilized with funds, to however take seriously the supervision of all ongoing projects to ensure quality projects and timely completion.
While urging journalists in the state and across the country to strictly adhere to the ethics of the profession, as political activities gathered momentum for the 2023 General elections, the Chapel advised that ” journalists should not allow themselves to be used by political office holders/seekers as instruments to settle political scores.”
The Chapel urged politicians at both the state and national levels conduct their political activities in line with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act and Constitution of their respective parties to ensure that the forthcoming party primaries and the subseqjuent general elections are devoid of violence, bloodshed and unnecessary rancor, that would disrupt the peace that the state currently enjoys.
