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| His Excellency Chief Godswill Akpabio and Other Personalities Cutting the Akwa Ibom State 21st Anniversary Cake at the
Ibom Meridian. |
Experts Decry Poor Health Information
Management
Apart
from decaying infrastructures and insufficient medical personnel, another
factor that has not received adequate attention from administrators
of public health institutions is the lack of adequate health management
information system, which is believed to have adversely affected standard
operation procedures in the delivery of quality health care to the citizenry.
The situation which has become worrisome necessitated a 3- day seminar
for primary health care officers in the local government councils of
Akwa Ibom State, organized recently by the Ministry of Health in Uyo.
An official of the Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, Mr. Abioye Abimbola,
who was among lead presenters at the seminar, regretted that lack of
accurate and adequate health data was a serious impediment to effective
health care system, as such data was necessary for planning, management
and administration of health care facilities and systems in the successful
implementation of primary health care at the grassroots.
Health commissioner, Dr. Louisa Ukpeh, asked primary health care coordinators
in the local government councils to liaise with the ministry and councils'
administration in opening reliable data on health information and management
which he noted was essential to the achievement of the national policy
on health as it relates to operation and practice in the state.
The commissioner, who was represented by a director in the ministry,
Dr. Anthony Ekanem, called for proper data keeping in the various councils.
Meanwhile, the health commissioner, Dr. Louisa Ukpeh, has stated that
the delay in the take off of the national health insurance scheme in
the state was due to administrative and logistic knots that would be
loosened later.
Though she assured that the state would soon commence the operation
of the scheme in the state, skeptics have expressed doubt on the efficacy
of the scheme which is yet to take off in the state, about six years
after it first started in the country.
Navy Brutalizes Journalists
It was another
act of brutality and cruelty, against journalists who were invited to
cover the 2008 passing out parade of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria,
MAN, Oron, at the weekend, when Cdr. M.C.M Osiah, an academic board
member, and commandant of the academy, threw military training and ethics
to the mud, and descended on two reporters.
The
incident took place as the duo, namely, Tony Anichebe, National Mirror,
and Patrick Titus, New Nigeria Newspaper, were being led by the institution's
public relation officer, PRO, Sidi Mkpandiok to the dining hall where
guests were served refreshment after the passing out parade.
While waiting for the PRO who had gone to get meal tickets for the journalists,
the commandant who is widely believed to have acted on the influence
of alcoholic took a swipe on the journalists who became punching bags
in the hands of Cdr. Osiah and his boy for untold reasons. The attitude
of Cdr. Osiah's, who was seconded to the Academy, drew the sympathy
of other visitors and observers who frowned at his 'commando' and brawn
action. Those who attempted to prevail on the brute also incurred his
wrath.
The two victims who are chairman and treasurer of the correspondents'
chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Akwa Ibom state council,
received thorough beatings, from the commandant who threatened to lock
them up in the guard room. When Niger Delta STANDARD sought to get the
institution's rector's (Mr. Nseyen Ebong), his phone rang continuously
but did not pick his calls or even reply the text message sent to him
regarding the incident.
However, the PRO, Mr. Mkpandiok who spoke with the Niger Delta STANDARD
regretted the unfortunate incident, condemning the action of the naval
officer, saying 'you know how the military behaves. The Rector wasn't
happy about the incident. You know it was the rector who invited you
guys. So please tell your colleagues not to be offended'. Meanwhile,
the correspondents' chapel has regretted the action of Cdr. Osiah, describing
it as very unfortunate.
In a statement issued by the Secretary of the chapel, Mr. Dennis Udoma
of the C h a m p i o n Newspapers, the chapel urged the institution's
authority to reprimand the naval officer for his dastardly act as well
as tender an apology to the affected members as the chapel was considering
boycotting activities of the Academy.
Niger Delta STANDARD gathered that journalists in recent times have
suffered several forms of assault from security agents in the state,
even from security aides in the government house, especially officials
of the state security services and anti riot policemen attached to the
government house. It would be recalled that the chief security officer
to the governor one Mr. Sule, during the broadcast of the anniversary
of the creation of the state also gave journalists some doses of his
brutality.
Etoro-Obong
Inyang
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