MPR, Gift Health Plus collaborate to reduce adverse pregnancy outcomes in Mbaise  

New York, USA, March 20, 2022

The Mbaise Policy Roundtable (MPR), a non-governmental organization with offices in Owerri Imo State, Nigeria and New York USA, will partner with Gift Health Plus (GHP) Inc, a New Jersey, USA based non-profit organization, in furtherance of their shared commitment to provide holistic and high-quality healthcare to rural communities. The MPR welcomed the collaboration in a letter signed by her Health Projects Lead, Dr Chika Okoro, MD, MPH, and Executive Secretary/Legal Adviser, Atty. Paschal Ukpabi. The letter was addressed to the Executive Director GHP Inc, Professor Chamberlain Nwanne.

In their communication, GHP Inc. had noted that MPR is a credible organization with active footprints in rural Nigeria and has donated to her a supply of the United Nations International Multiple Micronutrient Antenatal Preparation (UNIMMAP) prenatal vitamins which are to be distributed to prenatal women in rural Mbaise communities to ameliorate adverse pregnancy outcomes.

In their response, MPR said, “We are in receipt of the request from your New Jersey USA-based organization, Gift Health Plus, for collaboration to facilitate the distribution of the United Nations International Multiple Micronutrient Antenatal Preparation (UNIMMAP) prenatal vitamins to pregnant women in rural communities in Africa, such as Mbaise, Imo State Nigeria. We hereby accept to partner with you to ensure that your objectives are accomplished…”

The MPR plans to distribute the medicines, at a date not yet announced, through five Health Centers in each of the three Local Government Areas in Mbaise, as follows:

1. Ahiazu-Mbaise LGA: Nnarambia Health Center, Ogbe-Ahiara Health Center, Amuzi Health Center, Umuokirika Health Center and Umuchieze Health Center.
2. Ezinihitte Mbaise LGA: Ezeagbogu Health Center, Umuore Eziudo Health Center, Amumara Health Center, Onicha Health Center, and Chokoneze Health Center.
3. Aboh-Mbaise LGA: Nkwogwu Health Center, Enyiogugu Health Center, Lorji Health Center, Mbutu Health Center and Ibeku Health Center.

According to GHP Inc, the initiative is in fulfillment of their mission to help “build sustainable health infrastructure in rural Nigeria that are equipped to manage most diseases endemic to these communities”. They further observed that “in many parts of Nigeria where dietary quality is poor, micronutrient deficiencies are common and anemia and low birthweight/small for gestational age (SGA) are public health problems”.

Commenting on the initiative, the MPR Chairman, Professor Eddie Oparaoji, said, “we commend and appreciate GHP Inc for this thoughtful initiative and partnership, it can only bring great benefits to rural communities in Nigeria and Mbaise in particular. I believe the best is yet to come.”

MPR, is the premier pre-eminent Mbaise Public Policy and Business Advisory Council in the World focused entirely on the development of Mbaise and Imo State, through the facilitation of financial and in-kind resources, private investments and private public partnerships