Obioma Liyel-Imoke, the First lady of Cross River State has been nominated for the prestigious ‘GAVY CSO Constituency Award.’
Her nomination was announced by Dr. Chizoba Wonodi when she led a team from the International Vaccines Assess Center (IVAC), John Hopkins University, USA, to Cross River State to ascertain the progress of the on-going immunization exercise.
She intimated that the nomination of Mrs. Imoke was as a result of her impressive advocacy and sensitization on pneumonia prevention and control through her Breath of Life pneumonia project, initiated under her NGO, Partnership Opportunities for Women Empowerment Realization (POWER).
The award, according to her is recognized all over the world.
“Mrs. Imoke has done a lot in the fight against pneumonia. We know this through her concerted efforts, especially during the World Pneumonia Day activities in Cross River State.
“The Small Grant for World Pneumonia Day Advocacy program supports events and activities that promote pneumonia prevention and control in countries where childhood pneumonia has the greatest impact”, Dr. Wonodi said in an interview after leading her team on a health facility tour of Ikang, Headquarters of Bakassi Local Government Area of the State, where they monitored the on-going immunization exercise, which she was also happy to announce that “From the records available, people exceeded the immunization target.”
She disclosed that IVAC’s mission to accelerate access to vaccines and immunization of children all over the world was in line with the Federal Ministry of Health target of saving one million lives initiatives which aligns with the objectives of Mrs. Obioma Liyel-Imoke’s POWER designed to empower women and work for survival of children.
An Advocacy and Communication Officer, IVAC, Mr. Daniel Erchick acknowledged that a lot of advocacy was carried out by POWER, to kick pneumonia out of the communities, thereby pushing pneumonia interventions, treatment and prevention in the rural areas.
He explained that the team was visiting the states that benefited from the 2012 IVAC Small Grant; given to nonprofit CSO’s which Mrs. Imoke’s Breath of Life was a beneficiary and urged her to continue the work come 2013.
Obioma, a Law graduate of the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Enugu State, has received commendations for her charitable works especially with infants and the less privileged.
Culled from TheWill
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