The Chief Medical Director of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) Nnewi Professor Anthony Igwegbe, has described the government of Chief Willie Obiano as a health friendly government.
Prof. Igwegbe stated this while receiving the wife of Anambra State Governor, Chief (Mrs.) Ebelechukwu Obiano who was at the hospital to assess the progress of the children undergoing surgery for cleft palate deformities.
The Governor’s wife is sponsoring free surgeries through her NGO the Caring Family Enhancement Initiative (CAFÉ) for some children born with the congenital abnormality of cleft lips and cleft palate. The free surgeries are being carried out at NAUTH Nnewi to correct the abnormality and bring life time joy and smile to the children.
The CMD said that his assessment of the Obiano’s administration was on the strength of the interventions of the Governor and his team in the health sector over the past one-year especially at critical periods in the State.
He stated that apart from intervention in NAUTH, the Governor and his wife have shown commitment towards immediate eradication of Ebola and Cholera outbreak.
According Prof Igwegbe, “I recall that governor Obiano and his wife came to visit accident victims and gave us 300KVA Generator to boost our power supply. You can see that his wife also supports us in cleft lip surgeries and other maternal, and ante-natal interventions in Health Centres.”
The CMD noted that he had no doubt that the Governor would carry the momentum of support for health institutions like NAUTH and health workers at various levels in the years ahead to ensure the provision and sustenance of quality health care to the citizens.
Earlier, Her Excellency, Chief (Mrs.) Ebelechukwu Obiano said that she came to assess the progress of the free Cleft lip and palate surgeries which CAFÉ was sponsoring in collaboration with Smile Train Nigeria; and expressed satisfaction with the transformation she saw in the before and after photographs of the children.
She assured the CMD that CAFÉ would continue to support them to continue with the wonderful work they were doing.
The Governor’s wife appreciated the effort of NAUTH and Smile Train for their roles in ensuring successful surgery for the children.
She noted that “you are performing acts of love because it is only love that can enable you to transform the look of these beautiful children and bring smile to their faces. God will reward you.”
The Cleft lip palate said to be prevalent in Nigeria is a congenital abnormality that leaves a child deformed on the lips and mouth resulting in a child not feeding well or not speaking properly.
