BY RAYMOND OZOJI, Awka
The President-General of Umueri community Anambra-East Local Government Area of Anambra State, Amb. Dr. John Metchie has commended wife of the state governor Dr. Mrs. Nonye Soludo for the introduction of free Human Papilloma Virus(HPV) vaccine to curb cervical cancer in the area.
Speaking exclusively with this journalist, Metchie said the HPV vaccine which is very expensive was introduced by the governor's wife free of charge to help fight cervical cancer diseases in girls from 9 to 14 years of age.
He said the initiative underscores Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo's efforts in providing affordable quality healthcare to the citizenry especially those in the hinterlands, pointing out that the construction of more general hospitals as well as the renovation and refurbishment of primary healthcare centres across the 326 political wards of the state is a testament to government commitment to saving lives.
Metchie said that the present administration has revamped the health sector making reference to Umueri General Hospital where he acknowledged that the state government has committed huge resources to make it functional and accessible again.
He therefore reiterated the fact that the introduction of HPV vaccine will help safeguard future mothers from the virus that is the remote cause of cervical cancer, adding that the governor's wife through her Healthy Living Initiative has provided more enlightenment and sensitisation for women and the girl child.
Metchie also made a clarion call on all mothers and guardians in Anambra-East and the entire state to take their eligible daughters to primary healthcare centres or vaccination points nearest to them and get their daughters vaccinated against the HPV disease.
The Umueri PG who described Dr. Mrs. Nonye Soludo as mother Theresa of our time, called for more of such life-saving programmes as he believes they would help encourage healthy living amongst Ndi-Anambra especially as it concerns women and teenage girls.
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