Nigeria

ACSIM Projects for Cooperation and International Solidarity in Nigeria.

The ACSIM is sponsoring projects for the International Cooperation in South-east Nigeria, particularly in Abia State. Nigeria is a federal state made up of 36 States and 1 Territory, for a total population of 148,092,542 inhabitants.

Abia is one of the 36 states of Nigeria, located in the south. It was created in 1991 by a part of the state of Imo. Its capital is Umuahia, but the most important economic center is Aba, while Arochukwu is the third largest city. In a 2005 estimate, the population would more than 4,200,000 inhabitants. The area of intervention of our projects is focused mainly to Isiala Ngwa North LGA (Local Government Area), of which here are some figures:

ISIALA-NGWA-NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
State	Abia
Headquarter	Omoba
Number Of Households	19244
Male Population	43644
Female Population	49692
Total Population	93336
Area (SqKm)	282.9694
Population Density	330
A training course as a new instrument of international cooperation The ACSIM in collaboration with the Marche Region has completed a training project aimed at 10 Nigerian citizens who have been trained to be inserted in the workplace, such as social workers, Italy. The course provides two stages: 1. theoretical phase: tailored of Italian and achieving certification CELI I (L2) in collaboration with the University for Foreigners of Perugia and teaching materials in accordance with the professional role of social workers to communities of children, 2. Stage practice in which students have an internship at 300h structures of social welfare in Nigeria. We are now awaiting the arrival of 10 young Nigerian citizenship to provide when working in the facilities of dall’ACSIM in cooperation with CDM 2. The experience of this training course in Nigeria has no need for words, so we let you view all … some photos and videos that were made during the course. In this photo are, in addition to some students, even the President of our Association, Dr. Daniel C. Amanzio (on-site coordinator of the project) and Dr. Mrs. Susanna Catherine Cognigni (Professor of vocational subjects). This is the top school in which they were carried out the lessons of the course … and consideration that has led our students to achieve certification CELI Italian Language I (level A2). The strong motivation of our 10 boys was highlighted outstanding success in the study of language . THE RIGHT TO HEALTH IS HUMAN: NIGERIA’S SECTION An International project of cooperation for the promotion of the right to health that have to be achieved in Nigeria and Uganda. A.C.S.I.M. has promoted a project to carry out in Nigeria and Uganda to implement the respect for the right to health that here is systematically infringed. For this reason you will find some information about the health situation of Nigeria, especially the Abia state one, below. All these figures are here to make sure that you understand just some of the reasons that led us to create a district clinic with all the peculiarities that we will show later. Some meaningful data: Child mortality in the first year of life: 100 out of 1,000 births Child mortality within the 5° year of life: 194 out of 1,000 live births Life expectancy at birth: 44 years Drinkable water access: 48% of the population (31% in rural areas) Access to appropriate restrooms: 44% of the population (36% in rural areas) (Data source: UNICEF report “The State of the World’s Children 2007”). The sanitary situation of the country is extremely unstable. The Nigeria health system may be labelled as “of low-to-medium quality” for what concerns the African continent (source: Viaggiare Sicuri – Ministry of Foreign Affairs /Crisis Unit).The specialist cares are issued in big cities, where hospitals are present. The primary health service, founded in 1977, should be ensured: actually who access to hospital care have to bring their own blankets, food and have to pay for the services. In villages, people have to turn to little dispensaries or to traditional healers. The endemic epidemics are: malaria, tuberculosis, typhus and gastroenteritis. There is a high risk of contracting hepatitis (A and B) as well as meningitis (being epidemic in the north of the country, capital Abuja included) and cholera. AIDS spreads rapidly and worryingly. In addition Nigeria is the mayor “container” of the polio virus, with over 70% of cases diagnosed all over the world. We should not forget the yellow fever. AIDS, polio and malaria are three scourges that are devastating the country. Malaria (also in quinine-resistant form and mainly in the south-east, of the type called “cerebral malaria”) is a mortal danger for children but it doesn’t receive enough attention. The spreading of this parasitosis is linked to the ease of transmission. The child mortality under 5 years of life is estimated between 25% and 30%, around 300,000 deaths per year, because of malaria’s level of endemicity, the resistance of the parasite to drugs that are available in the country and the inadequate access to medical treatment. The first official case of AIDS was diagnosed right in Nigeria in 1986, since that time the incidence rate of the disease has increased constantly. The incidence of AIDS/HIV is high: in 2003 it was estimated at 5.4% of the total population, which means more than 3.5 million people, and in some area it reached the 8.2%. It is estimated that around 5.8% of pregnant women are infected by HIV and that around 290,000 children are affected from birth by malaria. You won’t believe this… this is a private clinic located in Umuahia, the capital of Abia state. It doesn’t seem comfortable, does it? In fact, besides not being confy, there are a lot more deficiencies in a facility of this kind: Not everybody can access it; who access it will not receive vital services such as first aid, X-ray, children’s ward or gynaecology; There are no ambulances and in case of emergencies, in particular for whom comes from villages, the risk of death is really high. If privates clinics are so inefficient, you can imagine the publics hospitals. These facilities are restricted by the absence or the little presence of electricity, just consider that in the city alone, the energy independence reach a max of 6h, while in villages it is roughly absent. For all these reasons, for the direct experience of our association in Abia and for the express request of an officer of National Population Commission, we decided to create this project. The purpose is to promote the healthcare right and the access to treatments and to essential drugs, particularly among disadvantaged groups, like women, children and older people. The project includes: -The construction of a residential and medical center in Eziama Ntigha Isiala Ngwa North (Abia State); -The donation of solar panels and of a well to supply water and electricity; -The creation of services that aim to offer provision of prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation in the fields of paediatrics, dentistry, gynaecology-obstetrics and general medicament.

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