Ayamelum clan to get general hospital

By Chukwujekwu Ilozue  Reporter, Onitsha 

As a result of the magnitude of health problems in Ayamelu clan, a riverine area ravaged by Buruli Ulcer and other infirmities, Anambra state Government is considering building a general hospital in the area to cater for their health needs. 

Hitherto, the clan is lumped with Omambala and the General Hospital at Umueri built in the first republic through communal labour serves the entire area even though Ayamelum clan is far flung to the northern most borders with Kogi state. 

Last week, however, Anambra State Commissioner for Health Professor Amobi Ilika, announced that there are plans and that in fact establishing a General Hospital for Ayamelum clan is in the front burner of the state government. The project may even take-off before the end of the year, according to Ilika. 

“Because of the magnitude of health problems, we are seeing here and because this is one of the places we are having our worst health indicators. Government is thinking seriously about having a General Hospital to serve Ayamelum clan. 

 “We have rehabilitated Umueri General Hospital to take care of Anambra East and Anambra West but we are thinking seriously about establishing a General Hospital here,” Ilika said. 

He spoke in a town hall meeting held at Anaku, headquarters of Ayamelum council on the current health problem in the area – Buruli Ulcer. The town hall meeting attended by traditional rulers, community leaders, religious leaders, opinion leaders and health workers from Ministry of Health, Awka and those from the local council became necessary Ilika said because of the medical, social and economic effects it has on the people. The medical effects: “complications, some may have tetanus and die, some may have chronic ulcers, some of them may turn into deformities of their joints and so on and eventually death follows”. 

The economic effect which is very crucial to the government, according to Ilika, is that “Ayamelum is where poverty index is very high and malnutrition level is high too. The danger is that because this happens to people in their productive years – 14 years and upwards mostly – they will not be able to go to the farm, they may not be able to go to school; they will not be able to go to the markets. 

 “They will not produce things and earn some money. What that means is that it stretches the poverty trap, keep the poverty trap on. Even the little money they have or their parents have will be used in treating them and keeping them and eventually it will make the people poorer and thereby elongate the poverty trap”, Ilika illustrated. 

On the social effects of Buruli Ulcer which when fully developed turns into a festering sore, Ilika said young girls suffering from it will find it difficult to get married and the men can also get contractures leading to stigmatization. In some cases it has led to suicide for those who felt their condition unbearable, he added. 

The major challenge for health workers for now, however, he said is to convince the people that the ulcer is not caused by poisoning or by enemies and that the earlier treatment is sought the easier the cure.  Treatment is free and the drugs in abundance, he said.