295 Etomi residents benefit as C’River marks health reforms with free medical outreach

The Etomi community in Etung Local Government Area of Cross River State, along with neighbouring villages, came alive over the weekend, as 295 residents accessed free healthcare during a two-day medical outreach organised to mark the second anniversary of Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk as Commissioner for Health.

The outreach, held at the newly-renovated Etomi Primary Health Centre (PHC), was carried out in partnership with the state Primary Healthcare Development Agency and the World Bank–assisted Immunisation Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT) project.

During the exercise, over 250 medical consultations were conducted, 262 residents screened for diabetes, and 259 tested for malaria. 12 new diabetic cases were diagnosed, while 53 patients tested positive for severe or uncomplicated malaria.

Thirty-four residents received treatment for various eye conditions, and 10 surgical procedures, including hernia repairs, hydrocele repairs, lipoma excisions, and cyst removals, were successfully carried. Essential drugs were also distributed free of charge.a

 Ayuk described the outreach as both a thanksgiving event and a demonstration of Governor Bassey Otu’s people first agenda.

“This is my second year in office, and I felt it is necessary to celebrate by showcasing what His Excellency is doing in the health sector. The revitalisation of this facility in my community is symbolic of the government’s commitment to primary healthcare across the state,” he said.

He noted that since Governor Otu assumed office, 96 PHCs have been upgraded, while more than 230 doctors, pharmacists, and laboratory scientists have been recruited and deployed to general hospitals across the state.

He also disclosed that the state’s health insurance scheme is being expanded to cover the informal sector, with the governor’s wife already enrolling 500 elderly persons in Calabar for free medical care.

“Beyond the outreach, the Otu administration has raised health budget allocation from less than six percent to over 10 percent of the state’s total budget. The government is also completing abandoned hospitals in Oban and Akpabuyo, with plans underway for new general and cottage hospitals,” Dr Ayuk added.

Project Manager of the IMPACT project, Dr. Paul Odey, described the outreach as timely, stressing that many rural dwellers cannot afford essential services. Similarly, retired Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Mr. Effiong Ayi, commended the revitalisation of the Etomi PHC, noting that it will support surgical interventions that were previously unavailable in the community.

The Director of Medical Services in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Stephen Agbor, highlighted the relief brought to residents following the treatment of 34 eye cases. On his part, the Director of Human Resource for Health, Chris Ushuasung, observed that women constituted nearly 69 percent of beneficiaries, reflecting a higher health-seeking attitude among females.

Community members expressed gratitude for the intervention. The village head of Etomi, Chief David Amba, who was treated for arthritis, prostate issues and hypertension, described the outreach as life-saving. “I received my prescribed drugs free of charge. I commend the government for remembering us and appeal for more of such interventions to be carried out regularly,” he said.

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