By Our Reporter
The Special Adviser to Gov Bassey Otu on health, Dr Ekpo Ekpo Bassey, has said that over 10 percent was allocated to the health sector in Cross River in this year’s budget estimates because it is only a healthy population that would benefit from the vast human capacity building and infrastructural development projects the Governor was embarking on.
In a chat with our reporter in Calabar, Wednesday, Bassey, who is also the immediate past two-term member of the State House of Assembly for Bakassi State constituency, said such an allocated percentage, which he described as the first in a very long time, has generated hope for the sector.
“Gov Bassey Otu’s desire in promoting quality, accessible and affordable healthcare systems in Cross River state is commendable. For a very long time, the budgetary provisions for health had not been this much.
“The Governor believes that health is wealth and there is no democracy without healthy people. Our people must benefit from the robust on-going road rehabilitation and constructions and other infrastructural and human development he is embarking on across the State.
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“He has made history by allocating over 10 percent of the budget and as you know, the Governor believes that it is only when the people are health that they can enjoy the dividends of democracy. A sick man cannot walk on beautiful, well-paved tarmac.
“And, good health can only be enhanced when the healthcare sector is properly funded. When we talk about health governance, we mean funding, manpower, medical technology, supplies, accountability and quality service delivery, and this is what the Governor is doing, striving to achieve good health governance.
“One of the outstanding sources of healthcare financing is the government. If expenditure is captured in the budget, releases become legal and then you may consider implementation. It would have been worse if provisions were not made or funds not allocated at all in the budget,” he submitted.
Dr Bassey disclosed further that apart from the allocation for healthcare, the government was taking practical steps in ensuring diseases like measles, hepatitis and other ailments were frontally tackled.
“Few days ago, we launched a viral hepatitis strategic plan for 2024 through 2026. The content of the plan is to ensure that we reduce prevalence of viral hepatitis to the barest minimum or completely eliminate it. This is because the prevalence rate of viral hepatitis is too high.
“Besides, we are tackling other areas in healthcare delivery with a view to making Cross River people strong and health so has to enjoy what the government has in store for them,” he stated.
