Health Workers Receives Commendation At Africa Athletics Championships

Health workers who provided medical services during the just concluded African Senior Athletics Championships in Asaba, Delta State have been commended for quality healthcare rendered at the event.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Minnie Oseji, gave the commendation during her supervision of medical facilities and personnel deployed for the just concluded games at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.

She said the State Ministry of Health provided medical services for participating athletes and spectators in the stadium in collaboration with the Sports Commission, National Sports team and the Local Organizing Committee for the Championship.

On the facilities provided, she revealed that a Mobile Field Hospital was erected close to the main bowl and fully equipped with a Theatre, an Accident and Emergency Unit, Intensive Care Unit and a Ward where patients under observation were kept before they were referred when further care was needed.

She added that Medical Booths were positioned in the main arena for quick medical response for athletes on the field and track while two (2) ambulances were also strategically located at two of the gates to the main bowl.

Dr. Oseji explained that for quick responses on emergencies, two other ambulances were stationed by the Mobile Field Hospital, one ambulance at the airport and Doctors on call were also attached to the hotels were the athletes were quartered.

She said that at the close of each day’s events the ambulances were moved to the hotels were the contingents were accommodated should there be emergencies that they will be on hand to address them.

Dr. Oseji used the medium to commend the State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa for bringing the Championship to Delta State which has placed the State at the global map as it hosted fifty-two countries from Africa.

She expressed happiness on behalf of the State Ministry of Health for the opportunity to contribute their quota for a successful championship and thanked God that there was no health emergency that was not managed adequately.

She said over 200 persons were attended to by the Health Workers in the Mobile Field Hospital and Medical Booths.

On his part, the coordinator of the health personnel stationed in the main bowl, Dr. Larry Appah, Consultant Anesthetist, Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara said quality facilities and personnel were on standby even at the strategically positioned Medical Booths fully manned in the main arena for quick response whenever any of the athletes on the field or track needed medical attention.

He said a four bedded intensive care unit fully kitted and manned by a Specialist Doctor and a Nurse were on ground at the St. Lukes Hospital, Asaba to handle referrals while another referral hospital was the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba.

Also speaking, Collette Ikem, a registered nurse and midwife attached to the Mobile Field Hospital at the Stadium complex said it was a very good and wonderful experience to be part of the event. She said that the medical team attended to athletes, coaches and the spectators.

She added that the cases that were brought in were promptly attended to, stabilized and referred depending on the nature of the cases.

On the state of the medical facilities provided for the games, she commended government for providing top notch health facilities for the competition and that even the athletes and their doctors commended the facilities and services rendered that it was more than a hospital.

In the same vein, Dr. (Mrs.) Oseji has commended the Health Workers involved in the 05 Grassroot Medical Outreach led by the Coordinator Restore Sight Africa, Dr. Ernest Ogbedo for what could probably be the largest Eye Care programme to be organized in the country.

In her analyses, the eye surgeries that have been done so far in 22 LGAs were almost the equivalent of what was done over a period of 4 years by the Ministry of Health through the rural health scheme in the past.

She said the Ministry of Health is happy to collaborate with the 05 Initiative of Her Excellency, Dame Edith Okowa and Restore Sight Africa to achieve this historic feat that has boosted the cataract surgical coverage in the State.