Govt. Seeks Partnership On Reduction Of Blood Borne Diseases

Akwa Ibom State government says it will continue to encourage public/private partnership to improve the healthcare delivery system particularly in reducing the risk of transmitting blood borne diseases through reused syringes.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Louisa Ukpeh, gave this indication when she received representative of the Pan African Health Foundation, manufacturers of auto disable syringes in Nigeria.
She said the Ministry of Health had already introduced the use of the auto disable syringes in line with Nigeria’s new injection safety policy which is currently being implemented, and assured the foundation of the government’s readiness to do everything to improve the health status indicator of its citizenry.
Describing Governor Akpabio as a visionary leader, she enumerated the many people-oriented programmes embarked upon in the three years of the administration arguing that it has help transformed the health sector tremendously.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Nestor Udoh, expressed appreciation to the Pan African Health Foundation for their interest in the health and safety of the people and urged them to continue in their services to humanity.
He said that the Ministry will seek ways to partner the foundation to raise the health standards of the people.
Speaking earlier, a staff of business development in the Pan African health Foundation, Mr. Goddie Smith Ereoforiokuma, said the aim of the foundation is to help reduce Africa’s disease burden disclosing that they were in the state to introduce the auto disable syringes.
He pointed out that an estimated 50% of all injections are unsafe while 1.3 million children die each year from unsafe injections in many African countries.
He expressed the foundations readiness to partner with the state government to provide capacity building and training for Akwa Ibom health workers on the use of the auto disable syringes.