The Cross River State Ministry of Health in collaboration with Jhpiego is developing an operational plan to reduce the transmission of viral hepatitis in the state.
Tribune Online gathered that this came on the heels of the adoption of the 2016 National Council on Health resolution that calls for the establishment of state-specific Viral Hepatitis Control Programmes in the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Speaking at the 4-day viral hepatitis operational plan development workshop in Calabar, the State’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Egbe Ayuk expressed his commitment to do everything possible to ensure that the project succeeds in the state.
He assured partners that he would facilitate a meeting between them and the state governor, Prince Bassey Otu while noting that the state government is committed to curbing the spread of the deadly disease by allocating sufficient resources to implement the program for the purpose.
Ayuk pointed out that identifying the gaps is an aspect that the Stakeholders should, as a matter of importance, also look into and proffer possible ways to such issues to provide the necessary support that would help the State improve its healthcare delivery for a healthy society.
The Commissioner said that 70% of people seeking healthcare services come from rural and informal sectors, and asked partners to put their best efforts into the project instead of forcing donors to do everything.
In his earlier address, the Country Director of Jhpiego Nigeria, Dr Adetiloye Oniyire, who was represented by the Project Director, Dr. Victor Adepojuby, charged the participants to put in their best efforts and come up with a very good plan for the state government to incorporate in its agenda.
Adepoju pointed to possible areas of cooperation with the state: through joint investments, technical assistance to the state, training of health workers and provision of other sources of support to the state, stressing that the state would contribute its quota.
“We are here to help Cross River develop a strategic plan for 2024 to 2026.
Hepatitis B and C is a killer, it kills more people than HIV and it has been neglected for so long.
“We are going to prioritize high-risk populations in our plans in this elimination roadmap in Cross River State.
“The expectation is to have a final Cross River State strategy plan for Hepatitis B and C, showing clearly how the state will go about elimination between now and 2026 and of course, to have a costing plan and a resource mobilization plan, stating clearly how the state is going to mobilize resources inwardly through budgetary allocation, through executives release of money, through partners like Jhpiego as well as other partners and commitment from Cross River State government in terms of counterpart funding because the partners alone cannot do this, the partners will expect the state to move first if they move one step then the partners will take two steps but no steps will be taken if the state does not show that financial and political will in the area of Hepatitis elimination, he said.
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then