By Enyinna Omoke, Abakaliki
The Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru has charged United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other development partners to adopt proper data collection strategies to enable them intervene in relevant areas.
According to the Governor, right decisions and interventions can only take place when reliable data are collected and properly analyzed
The Governor was speaking when he received in his office UNICEF advocacy delegation led by the UNICEF Nigeria Chief of Field Services. Miss Judith Leivellee.
He requested the agencies to deploy manpower to all the primary health care facilities in Ebonyi State to collect reliable data that will help to improve maternal and child health.
Governor Nwifuru also gave a nod to UNICEF’S calls for immediate end to all forms of open defecation; poor immunization leading to poliomyelitis; malnutrition; inadequate breastfeeding and cholera in the state.
He acknowledged the negative implications of poor and erratic immunization, insisting concrete action towards ending it must be taken.
“I want the local government Chairmen here to take immunization seriously. We will do everything within our reach to construct toilets in the markets, schools and other public places”, the governor ordered.
In her remarks, Miss Judith Leveillee, informed the Governor that a total of “2.5 million latrines to end open defecation leading to cholera” is being proposed by UNICEF.
