The Immediate past Governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has strongly claimed that his administration increased the life expectancy in the state by addressing its maternal mortality rate through investments in rural health.
The former Governor in his health series said his administration solved issues of mother and child death in Abia State.
According to him, the rate was high in the state when he came into office in 2015.
Ikpeazu said his administration, through environmental health officers and other health professionals, went into statewide education for the citizens on how to prevent diseases with a strong focus on mother and child.
The former Governor equally said to crown the efforts, his administration built 750 affordable healthcare centres across remote areas of the state and ensured sufficient funding for the healthcare centres.
He said that the 750 healthcare centres ensured accessible and quality healthcare services for all citizens of the state, especially pregnant women who desperately need care.
Ikpeazu said: “When health challenges arose, we sought effective solutions to ensure prompt and proper treatment.
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“We recognised that continued health problems required ongoing efforts and responsiveness.
“Childbirth and infant mortality were critical areas of focus.
“We educated pregnant women on utilising the healthcare facilities we provided.
“The government established over 750 affordable healthcare centres across the state, each managed by community leaders, and healthcare professionals, and supported by government funding.
“This infrastructure ensured accessible and quality healthcare services for all, especially pregnant women.”
Ikpeazu said that aside from the provision of free health to pregnant mothers, his administration ensured that healthcare services for women and infants were free of charge.
He added that in the first few months of childbirth, his administration took care of mothers and newborn children with records available for all to see.
He added: “We made antenatal care readily available and took measures to protect both pregnant women and their unborn children.
“All healthcare services for women and infants were provided free of charge throughout the state.”
Facts have also shown that the Ikpeazu administration delivered the first mother and child specialist hospital located in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, as well as the Sustainable Development Multipurpose Hospital, built by the Federal Government, in 2021.
It will be recalled that after attracting the project, which was done in most states, Ikpeazu fenced and installed solar power at the facility, but could not commission it before the exit of the administration due to scheduling challenges.
This strong claim by Ikpeazu was recently verified by the Federal Government and found to be true as it corroborated his claim during a recent event in the state.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, on Wednesday in Ugwunagbo Local Government Area of Abia State corroborated Ikpeazu’s claims.
The 100-bed Mother and Child Centre, renamed: “Sustainable Development Multipurpose Hospital,” situated in Ugwunabo, was built by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development.
At the commissioning of the Sustainable Development Multipurpose Hospital, Orelope-Adefulire disclosed that since 2020, the maternal and child mortality rate of Abia State had decreased.
She said according to SDGs data, the Abia State Maternal Mortality Rate has declined from “1047 to 531 since 2020 and currently stands at 136”.
She said President Bola Tinubu is committed to providing quality and accessible healthcare for the citizens of the country.
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