JDPC To Renovate Schools, Hospitals, Others In 12 Anambra Communities

By Praise Chinecherem

Major service centres including schools and primary health centres, badly damaged by perennial flooding in twelve communities of Ogbaru Local Government Area, are to be renovated by the Justice Development and Peace Caritas, JDPC Onitsha.

The renovation will be carried out under its Flood Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Project, funded by Catholic Relief Services.

The plan was disclosed by the Project Lead, JDPC Onitsha, Shadrach Nwekeagu, during a courtesy visit to the Commissioner for Health in Anambra State, to inform him of the planned renovation of PHCs and seek his buy-in for smooth and successful execution.

“For every community, there are service points, where people come to receive services such as education and health care. So, the two things we prioritize also in the project is retrofitting, (more like renovation) and strengthening of infrastructures that provide health and educational services.

Nwekeagu said, “For the health services, our focus is primary health centres which provide health care services to the local communities. We are retrofitting one health center in each of the 12 communities. In all, we are going to renovate 12 health centers. Also, in each of these communities, we are renovating 12 schools.

According to him, necessary assessment of the infrastructures had been conducted with architectural designs developed for them. “Now, out of all the assessments, there are two communities where we are rebuilding afresh their health centers. Those are Ochuche and Akili Ogidi. In Ochuche, we are rebuilding because the military took over their health center because of insecurity. And nobody knows when the military will leave.

“The PHC in Akili Ogidi was totally damaged and it’s not something we can retrofit. So, we opted to build a fresh structure for them.

“While we prioritize primary schools, one secondary school, which is Anthony Obaze Secondary School in Ochuche, came out as one of the structures to be renovated.

“We think that it is good for government to begin to see the need to prioritize health care for these flood-prone communities. So, our visit is to keep you abreast of the intervention and seek your assistance in all possible ways,” he told the Commissioner.

Responding, Commissioner for Health, Afam Obidike, appreciated the intervention by JDPC Onitsha assuring of all possible assistance.

“Your intervention is complementary to the efforts of the government in the health sector. As soon as the new facilities are completed, we are going to post health workers there. We are also going to equip them to work optimally.

“I eagerly await the completion of all the things you plan to do in those communities. I will personally commission the facilities when the construction or renovation is completed. If it is possible to complete the project within two months, we will appreciate it,” he concluded.