*SO-HEALTHI TAKES PNEUMONIA ADVOCACY TO AKPABUYO* … SEEKS MORE ROBUST MEDIA ADVOCACY ON DISEASE

By Kingsley Agim

In view of providing a stand and demanding action in the fight against pneumonia, Society for Health Enlightenment Initiative (SO-HEALTHI), a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), took its enlightenment and advocacy campaign to Ikot Offiong Ambai in Akpabuyo Local government Area.

The event which held at Saint Peter's Primary School, Ikot Offiong Ambai, to mark the World Pneumonia Day, saw a contingent of six select Primary Schools take part in lecture sessions on pneumonia awareness by experts from the SOHEALTHI Team, climaxing with a spelling competition where winners were given pneumonia-crested exercise books and cash prizes.

At the end of the spelling competition, Amicable Ebrigor Offu and Martha Joseph Aya, both of St. Peter's Primary School, Ikot Offiong Ambai, emerged joint best performing students, scoring 100%, Godsfavour Okon Eyo and Abigail Godwin Anthony, also of St. Peter's Primary School, came second, scoring 90% apiece, while Victoria Asuquo Okon of St. Peter's Primary School and Wendy Edet Ekpo of Jehovah Shalom Primary School, clinched third position, scoring 80% respectively.

In her remarks, the Founder and Team Lead of the NGO, Mrs. RoseMary Archibong stated that SOHEALTHI, founded in 2006, is saddled with the responsibility of creating awareness and advocating for a pneumonia-free world in accordance with this year's Theme: 'Keep the Promise; Stop Pneumonia Now.'

Mrs. Archibong noted that, according to global indices, the disease sickens 155 million children under 5 years and kills 1.6 million each year, it has become pertinent to bring this health crisis to the public's attention, encourage policy makers and grassroot organizers alike to combat the disease.

The Team Lead also noted with dismay, the negligible media attention on pneumonia, a disease that has claimed more lives of kids less than 5 years than measles, malaria and AIDS combined, while urging media outfits to give priority attention on advocacy and awareness to stem scorch of the preventable and treatable disease.

She thanked the Governor Ben Ayade-led administration for prioritizing the health and wellbeing of its citizens by strengthening the health sector of the State through the creation of the Cross River State Primary Health Care Agency, Cross River State Health Insurance Scheme, Ayade Home Care Service, a feat, she maintained has gone a long way in ameliorating the health challenges of Cross Riverians.

SO-HEALTHI is an indigenous NGO committed to advocacy and intervention towards the enhancement of the health of the citizens and prolonged life expectancy, with core focus on maternal and child health.