Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State.
BY VICTOR NWEGEDE
Ebonyi State government on Tuesday commenced free medical screening of its residents to determine their Hepaititis B, C and cervical cancer stutus for treatment.
Th Screening Committee Chairman, Pastor Eze Nwachukwu Eze in an interview with journalists in Abakalki, said the exercise was funded by the state government to ensure the protection of health of its citizens.
Nwachukwu who is Ebonyi Commissioner for Inter Governmental Affairs, disclosed that Governor David Umahi approved and provided enough fund for the medical screening of both the government officers and all the citizens in the state.
He said the exercise centres on screening the people's hepatitis B and C status as well as cervical cancer status for the women with the trending COVID-19 pandemic moving simultaneously for proper check-up and treatment.
He commended the turnout of the people, adding that the need for the screening was to prevent deadly results of the diseases.
The Chairman stated that the state government has provided money and drugs to treat those who may be found positive after screening.
He said the government also procured vaccines for those who may be negative after screening as a health preventative measure.
"Over 30,000 doses of the vaccines have been provided for the vaccination of those who may be negative to ensure Ebonyians are protected, because a healthy state can be a productive state, vice versa," he said.
He said the government chosed to screen 10,000 persons for a start, and the screening is for all the residents of the state, which phase one just started.
"The number to be screened now for both levels is 10,000 for a start, but it is a continuous exercise. 4,000 for Hapititis B, 4,000 for Hapititis C and 2,000 for cervical cancer screening and exercise will take 10 days to achieve this number;" adding that
Governor Umahi has made it clear that he is going to provide more money as many Ebonyians availed themselves to be screened.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to the Govenor on Medical Service and Chief Medical Director of Government House Clinic, Abakalki, Dr Richard Nnabu emphasized on the importance of the screening, and urged people to always think of knowing their health status and getting preventive medicine.
He commended the governor, and described the exercise as a pure medical practice.
"By this way, you have saved yourself of the cost of not just treating the sickness but the time you would have wasted to access health care, when you keep the person at the primodal stage, you address that issue at that point in time with manpower so that the person can discharge his job as expected of him. What we are looking at now is to screen Hepatitis B and C, as well as cervical cancer. Hepatitis B and C can have the tendencies of what we call mental cyrosis, it will eventually lead to liver cancer," he said.
Nnabu noted that in the recent time the state lost a very dear one, due to a related case under screening and the state government decided to embark on free medical checkup and treatment for preventive measure to avoid further occurrence.
"The governor has decided to take the bull by the horns. He has decided to go extra miles, moblize manpower, human resources that should anyone having these cases, he can be screened out and treated immediately," he hinted.
On their parts, the Principal Secretary to the State Governor, Dr Mrs Queen Agwu and the Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Health , Dr Chris Achi encouraged people to avail themselves for the screening to know their status as the first phase of the exercise commenced with government officials, saying it would be stepped down to the grassroot level.
Nnabu noted that in the recent time the state lost a very dear one, due to a related case under screening and the state government decided to embark on free medical checkup and treatment for preventive measure to avoid further occurrence.
"The governor has decided to take the bull by the horns. He has decided to go extra miles, moblize manpower, human resources that should anyone having these cases, he can be screened out and treated immediately," he hinted.
On their parts, the Principal Secretary to the State Governor, Dr Mrs Queen Agwu and the Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Health , Dr Chris Achi encouraged people to avail themselves for the screening to know their status as the first phase of the exercise commenced with government officials, saying it would be stepped down to the grassroot level.
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