Gov Otu’s health sector scorecard in first 100 Days commendable – Commissioner

The Commissioner for Health in Cross River State, Dr Henry Egbe Ayuk has commended Governor Bassey Otu for his unprecedented energy and ideas to rebirth the health sector in the state in his first 100 days in office.

He said, the decision of the Otu-led administration to bring healthcare under one roof is far from scoring a cheap political point, rather, it is borne out of patriotism and altruism to improve the standard of the health sector of the State.

During an interactive session with journalists on Wednesday, the health commissioner noted that the rebirth of the health sector by the governor, apart from keeping to both his political promise and altruism for the wellbeing of the citizens, is also in line with the Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

Reeling out some of the governor’s achievements in the health sector, he pointed out that, the state has established solarised self-sustaining Oxygen Plant with an additional 150KVA Generator yet to be commissioned, noting that the plant will produce Medical Oxygen for the entire healthcare delivery sector in Cross River State and environs.

According to Ayuk, the state government set the ball rolling by employing additional Doctors, Pharmacists, Science Lecturers, and Nurse/Midwife/Public Health Lecturers to strengthen Health Facilities and boost the Colleges of Nursing Sciences for accreditation by enhancing the Libraries and Laboratories with additional books and equipment.

He disclosed that the Essential Drugs Store which was destroyed by EndSARS protest has been renovated to grade ‘A’ standard in collaboration with AKESIS LTD for storage of medical commodities.

Information contained in a document made available to journalists during the interactive session revealed that there’s an ongoing renovation and equipping of Fistula Center in collaboration with UNFPA. Completion of Phase 1 solar lighting to illuminate the hospital premises at night. Also, renovation of TB Reference Laboratory, administrative block and provision of incinerator for management of medical waste in collaboration with development Partners at Dr. Lawrence Henshaw Memorial Hospital, Calabar.

Dr Ayuk maintained that the Primary healthcare centre is incomplete without availability of water, therefore, the state government has completed the drilling of boreholes for PHC Ogboga, PHC Ibil and PHC Ekumtak for the availability of water supply and upgraded two facilities in hard-to-reach areas of old Ndebeji and Akor in Akamkpa Local Government Area, as well as building of two staff quarters for the facilities.

He further disclosed that 191 health facilities have been upgraded through the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund by National Primary Health Care Development Agency and he added that there’s revitalization of 196 Ward Development Committees (WDCs) across the State as the fourth level of care.

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