Imo State Director Of NOA Urges Community Leaders To Fight Against Female Genital Mutilation

Community Leaders in Imo State have been enjoined to support the campaign against female genital mutilation and other unhealthy practices prevalent in the rural areas.

The State Director National Orientation Agency, Mr. Ekeocha made the call at a forum organized for Town union and women leaders in Owerri, Imo state.

  The programme organized by the National Orientation Agency in collaboration with UNICEF was aimed at re-awakening the consciousness of community leaders on the need to promote actions that would help reduce maternal mortality and infant morbidity.

The Director National Orientation Agency in Imo State, Mr. Vitus Ekeocha noted that Town unions and other community-based organizations paid more attention to the provision of infrastructure while issues bothering on health were being neglected.

Mr. Ekeocha said practices such as female genital mutilation, non compliance to routine immunization and open defecation would be a thing of the past if opinion leaders in the grassroots joined the crusade.

Speaking on key household practices that must be adopted for healthy living, a Resource person and former Unicef Desk Officer in the state Mrs. Ngozi Dike advised pregnant women to always seek ante-natal care while nursing mothers should ensure exclusive breastfeeding of their babies within the first six months of birth.

Some of the participants who spoke with Correspondent Chinazo Ilechukwu promised to convey the message to their communities.

Two hundred and twenty five communities drawn from eighteen out of the twenty seven local government areas of Imo State benefitted in the exercise.