As part of efforts aimed at advancing the cause of healthy living among the elderly across parts of Anambra State, the wife of the Governor, Mrs Nonye Soludo has distributed 27,000 cartons of Vitamin Supplements to the elderly in the state.
The distribution took place at the Utility Hall of ASUBEB Awka over the weekend and saw the governor’s wife distribute the vitamin supplements to Councilors of 326 wards in the state.
The initiative will see 80 elderly persons per ward benefit.
The supplements include multivitamins suitable for addressing deficiencies due to reduced body metabolism, and vitamins A, B, and C.
Flagging off the distribution, Mrs Soludo explained that it is part of the strategies adopted by her Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo pet project, to promote good health for the people.
She said the Healthy Living project has grown from a passion to a crusade, through which lives have been saved and destinies shaped.
“Today, people are only concerned about their pockets and the monies they make, without considering the dangers they are posing to the society.
“That is why we must embrace this healthy living initiative and through it, begin to curb unhealthy eating habits and eat organic things. When you do good nutrition, you will be energetic, healthy, and live long.
“We are also encouraging people to engage in exercise so as to burn calories, and maintain good fitness and mental health.
“Also on our radar, is the campaign against drug abuse, which we are undertaking to begin to take back our youths from the clutches of hard drugs. We are partnering with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.
“Our healthy living initiative is also championing the propagation of the right message about female reproductive health, teaching our young girls how to take care of their bodies. We have established healthy living clubs in our primary and secondary schools to begin to catch our people young.
“We are also working on environmental and personal hygiene, so it’s a comprehensive campaign for the general well-being of our bodies, our environment, and our society,” the Anambra first lady posited.
Describing the Councilors as critical in the actualization of the government developmental projects at the grassroots, Mrs Soludo encouraged them to continue to support the governor in his work.
According to her, the speed with which the governor started has not slowed down, assuring them that the governor is committed to fulfilling all his promises to the people within the specified time.
In his remarks, the State Commissioner for Health, Mr Afam Obidike appreciated the governor’s wife for the donation of the supplements, adding that it will give impetus to the governor’s vision aimed at achieving Universal Health Coverage at the grassroots, which spells negative indices for the state’s health sector.
The Commissioner revealed plans by the State Government to ensure that each of the wards has a functional primary healthcare center.
“This is a project the governor has approved and will be completed in the next three months, with solar facilities and other accessories to provide health services to our people at the ward levels.
In his part, the State Commissioner for Environment, Engr Felix Odimegwu while reminding the Councilors of the relationship between their environment and their health, tasked the grassroots representatives to maintain safe environmental hygiene, as a way to ensure that good health is guaranteed for them.
“A major challenge we have especially at the grassroots level is that of waste management and as the leaders at the grassroots, you have the task to drive this campaign for a healthy environment in your localities.
“We encourage you to liaise with the presidents-general, the traditional rulers, and other stakeholders, to set healthy environmental standards, and ensure their enforcement so that the challenges of erosion, and other hazards experienced at the communities will be minimized,” he said.
