By Asuquo Cletus
The Cross River State Government has taken delivery of a newly built Primary Health Centers (PHC) in Akor and Old Ndebeji communities in Akamkpa Local Government Area, following the official handover by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), its long-standing partner in healthcare delivery.
MSF, which has been active in the state for years, built and equipped the facility as well as donating free drugs and delivery kits particularly for pregnant women and children under five.
Speaking during the handing over ceremony on Thursday, MSF Project Coordinator, Meria Nadje, said the organisation was proud to have contributed to improved access to healthcare in the state.
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“For several years, we have worked closely with communities in Cross River to make healthcare accessible, especially for women and children. This centre is a gift to Akor community and we are handing it over with confidence that it will be sustained for the benefit of the people,” Nadje stated.
With MSF winding down its operations in the state, management of the facility has been transferred to the Tulsi Chanrai Foundation, the government’s new healthcare partner. The Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer, Shravan Kumar, assured residents of continued support, especially for vulnerable groups.
“Our focus will be to provide free drugs and services for pregnant women and children under five. Other categories of patients will also receive care, but at a highly subsidised rate. We want to make healthcare affordable, accessible, and sustainable,” Kumar said.
Leading a tour of the facility, the Cross River Commissioner for Health, Dr. Egbe Ayuk, commended MSF for its commitment and welcomed the partnership with Tulsi Chanrai Foundation.
“This handover is a big boost to our healthcare sector. We are thankful to Governor Bassey Edet Otu, It shows that with the right partnerships, communities like Akor can benefit from world-class interventions. The state government will ensure that this facility is maintained and put to effective use,” Ayuk pledged.
Also speaking, the Director General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Vivien Otu, noted that the facility aligns with the state government’s goal of strengthening primary healthcare delivery.
“This centre is not just about infrastructure, but about saving lives. It will bring relief to mothers, children, and other residents of Akor community who have long lacked access to quality healthcare,” Otu said.
The Akor community expressed appreciation to Governor Bassey Otu for supporting the initiative and promised to safeguard the facility for the benefit of all.
The centre, according to officials, is expected to significantly reduce maternal and infant mortality while bringing healthcare closer to rural dwellers in the area.
