Lady Obareki Flags Off Integrated Management Of Acute Malnutrition Centre In Etinan

… Bags Recognition As Nutrition Champion
ETINAN
The coordinator of the Office of the First Lady, Akwa Ibom State, Lady Helen Eno Obareki, on Monday officially flagged off the Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) Out-Patient Therapeutic Programme (OTP) site at the Primary Health Care Operational Base in Etinan Local Government Area.
The initiative, aimed at tackling rising cases of acute malnutrition among children under five, was organised by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in collaboration with Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Health, Akwa Ibom State Primary Health Care Development Agency and Helen Keller International.
  Lady Obareki, in her remarks on the occasion, noted that the IMAM project aligns with the ARISE Agenda of Governor Umo Eno, which prioritises maternal and child health as a core component of the state’s development strategy.
She said that the programme also complements the Maternal and Child Healthcare thematic area of the Golden Initiative for All (GIFA), which seeks to ensure that every mother and child receives optimal care from conception to early childhood.
  “I consider this event as a powerful declaration that in Akwa Ibom State, the life and future of every child matters. It underscores the unwavering commitment of the administration of His Excellency, the Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, to prioritise maternal and child health as a non-negotiable component of our development agenda, the ARISE Agenda.
  “This initiative aligns with the core mandate of the Maternal and Child Healthcare thematic area of the Golden Initiative For All, GIFA, which focuses on ensuring that every mother and child in Akwa Ibom receives optimal care, beginning from conception through early childhood. The fight against malnutrition is not separate from GIFA – it is the core of it,” she said. 
Urging mothers and caregivers to take advantage of the facility and other health centres, Lady Obareki described the establishment of the IMAM site as a transition from policy to life-saving action, providing a specialised centre for the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of malnourished children. 
  She lauded Helen Keller International, the Federal and State Ministries of Health and the Primary Health Care Development Agency for their technical and logistical support, while also commending health workers for their dedication, calling them “frontline heroes” and urging them to carry out their duties with professionalism and compassion.
Lady Obareki also restated the commitment of GIFA and the First Lady’s office to the fight against malnutrition, pledging continuous collaboration with partners to ensure that every child in the state grows healthy and well-nourished.
At the event, Lady Obareki was recognised by the Federal and State Ministries of Health as a “Nutrition Champion”, in acknowledgment of her outstanding advocacy and leadership in promoting child and maternal nutrition in the state.
The deputy governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, represented by Mr Joseph Esidem, stated that the launch of the IMAM Out-Patient Therapeutic Program (OTP) emphasises the government’s commitment to ensuring the health and well-being of children, particularly those in the most vulnerable populations.
  Eyakenyi highlighted that the government, through the ARISE Agenda on health, continues to provide standard facilities, access to free and quality healthcare services and enhanced recruitment of health professionals tailored to meet the needs of the people of Akwa Ibom, especially those in rural areas.
Chairman of Etinan Local Government Council, Hon. Uko Umo, extended his gratitude to Helen Keller International for selecting Etinan Local Government Area as one of the first beneficiaries of their health intervention programme, expressing his readiness to collaborate with organisations that aim to drive development and enhance the living standard of residents.
The representative of the country director of Helen Keller International, Ms Delphine Danboyi, stated that the IMAM sites in Etinan and Nsit Atai Local Government Areas aim to combat threats to child survival, provide hope and save the lives of children suffering from acute malnutrition in underserved communities.
In their separate speeches, representatives from by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMoHSW), the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), the Akwa Ibom State Primary Health Care Development Agency (AKSPHCDA), among others, commended the commitment of government, development partners, health workers and community volunteers who drive the process of rescuing malnourished children and enhancing the survival and development chances of vulnerable children.