Wife of the Cross River State Governor, Dr (Mrs) Linda Ayade yesterday at Aningeje, Akamkpa LGA commissioned a Primary Healthcare Center with modern facilities.
Speaking, Dr Linda Ayade who spoke through her Special Adviser, Mrs Rose Eneji urged the people to make good use of the facility and also serve as watchdogs to the center against vandalism and theft. She admonished the development partners that saw through the projects in a time the state was faced with dwindling resources while lauding the Ministry of Health and Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency for their role in making the project a success. Finally she tasked the women to stop delivering with unskilled birth attendants in TBAs, prayer houses and Churches. Encouraging them to always attend antenatal delivery and post natal care in any health facilities around them.
DG CRSPHCDA, Dr Betta Edu in welcome address, noted that due to the commitment and support from Governor Ben Ayade and his Wife Dr Linda Ayade, CRS has taken a giant step in repositioning Primary Healthcare in the state thus leading the perk in the country ahead of other states.
“Recently the Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari visited CRS and commissioned two primary health facilities in Ikom under the one functional PHC Per Ward, a scheme introduced by the FG which we have already began implementation. She reaffirmed the continuous support of the State Government in revitalizing Primary Healthcare while calling for total support for His Excellency Senator (Prof) Ben Ayade to reposition the state for greater things. She noted that the work in PHCs will be accelerated to ensure universal health coverage and quality health care at grass root.
Welcoming the Governor’s Wife, Akamkpa LGA Chairman Hon (Barr). Joseph Itotup represented by his Vice, Hon. Cecilia Asu said the renovation project is indeed a step in the right direction in promoting positive impact in the society through accelerating reduction of maternal and new born mortality. She thanked the partners UNH4 for their Support to the actualization of the project.
Earlier Speaking, Commissioner of Health CRS, Dr Inyang Asibong called for community participation and ownership of the center. She said one of the priorities of His Excellency, Prof Ben Ayade is to establish one PHC center per political ward with modern facilities. Dr Asibong eulogizes the community heads, youths, women, religious and opinion leaders for their great support. We are determined to end infant and marternal mortality in the state and with these health center in place and many others to be commission soon we would achieve the feat.
Hon (Dr). Ekpo Ekpo Bassey, House committee chairman on Health in his remarks thanked the development partners for ensuring we have one functional PHC per ward. He said this initiative is inline with WHO 1970 declaration and MDG goals of 2000 via SDG in 2015 which is to attend zero maternal mortality rate.
On behalf of the partners, Dr Yakubu Aliyu from UNFPA said the facility was renovated with the goal of improving access to EmONC and this also is in line with the Federal Government policy of one functional PHC per ward. He urged the people of Ojuk South Ward to take full ownership of the facility and effectively utilize the services offered by this PHC.
The PHC will provide 24 hours services in antenatal care, family planning, Delivery, post natal care, infant welfare care, treatment of minor ailments and laboratory services. Also present at the commissioning were, Dr Ana Onebiene, Dir. Of PHC in the state, Dr Iwara Iwara, Dir community Health/Roll Back Malaria, Elder (Mrs) Comfort Ekanem, Head of Clinical Unit/Servicom Ministry of Health, Ntufam Sunday Ita Archibong, Clan Head of Ojuk South and Chairman Ward Dev. Committee, Ntufam. Ededem Ita Archibong represented the Ojuk clan council.
Check out more photos from the commissioning of the Aningeje Primary Healthcare Center below…
