A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Custos Care Foundation, has organised a one-day sensitisation campaign on Maternal and Child Health Care, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), best practices for women of Ugwuaji Rural Community, in Enugu South local government area of Enugu State.
The organisers explained that the programme was part of the NGO’s commitment in promoting a healthy living among women and children in the state, especially at the localities.
In a speech during the one day programme, held at Ndiaga town hall Ugwuaji, managing director (MD) of Custos Care Foundation, Mrs Blessing Egodi Igwe, stated that the charitable organisation which is a pet project of wife of Enugu State governor, Mrs. Nkechi Mbah, was established to provide social services to the poor, needy, and the socially excluded people in the society.
“We work in five major intervention areas, which include, mother and child healthcare, and welfare, basic education for all, women and youth empowerment, social protection and mentorship,” she said.
According to her, the organisation which operates in collaboration with office of first lady of the state, promotes women and children’s health, through parental/postnatal care, nutrition, immunization education, illness management and insurance access.
“So, today, we are at Ugwuaji Community in Enugu South local Government Area of Enugu State to sensitize the rural populace, particularly women on health and hygiene issues.
“We invited people from WASH sector, and the Enugu State Agency for universal health coverage, with a view to sensitizing and enlightening the women on how to live a healthy life, and also how to embrace the state health insurance scheme,” she said.
She added that, “we are here also, to educate the Ugwuaji rural women residence on the need to maintain good health through good hygiene practices in the environment.”
Igwe, who disclosed that the organisation recently visited some council areas of the state for same programme, urged the citizens to embrace the state health insurance scheme for their own good, appealing to wealthy individuals, corporate organisations and groups to assist less privileged ones in their domains to enrol into the scheme which is one thousand naira per month, and N12, 000 yearly as premium.
A member of the State House of Assembly, representing Enugu South (Rural) constituency, and chairman, House Committee on Water Resource, Hon Princess Obiajulu Ugwu, who attended the programme, paid insurance premium for five nursing mothers and five aged women for one year, and thanked the NGO for its intervention in her constituency.
