The Vice-Chancellor of Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Prof. ChigozieAsiabaka, said that he has directed members of Futo senate to ensure that staff under them subject themselves to periodic medical checkups as a result of increasing deaths in the country and in Nigerian University system. Prof Asiabaka said this at the 2013 International Conference on Global Health that was held at Futo with theme “Global Health: Issues, Challenges and Management. He lamented among other things, that it is unfortunate that Nigerians hardly spare a little time and fund to go for medical checkups to ascertain their health status and which causes rampant avoidable deaths.
Also contributing her voice to the conference was the Acting Director Centre for Women, Gender and Development Studies, Futo, Dr (mis) Ihuoma Asiabaka, said that it is about worldwide improvement of health, reduction of disparities and protection against global threats that disregard national borders. Dr. Asiabaka said that the conference will among other things x-ay safe motherhood, child survival strategies, sex and sexuality and gender violence and abuse.
There were key lectures delivered on the occasion. One of them was Prof. Linus Ilika and a former health commissioner in Anambra state. Prof Ilika delivered on the topic” safe motherhood and child survival strategies” which he said was initiated at Kenya in 1987 by international health bodies and includes growth monitoring, oral dehydration, breastfeeding and immunization. Others include female education, food supplementation and family planning which are all rendered free as was captured in the MDG5 number 4 and 5. He also said that poverty remains the underlying cause for poor maternal and child health indicators in Nigeria and passionately appealed to health workers in the country to have humanitarian heart while handling health issues. Some other lecturers were Dr. Barr. E. Anigbogu on sex sexuality and gender violence and Dr. John Bwala on challenge of drug/alcohol abuse.
There were questions and answers in reaction to the delivered lectures. The Vice-chancellor of Futo, Prof. Asiabaka, in his closing remark said hat it is indeed an academic event and that there must be attitudinal change by health workers for Nigeria health sector to grow.
