Governor Ben Ayade represented by the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Betta Edu on Saturday flagged off the annual 2nd Round 2019 Maternal and New Born Child Health Week at Primary Healthcare Centre, Nasarawa Community, Ikot Ekpo, Calabar Municipality today.
It will be recalled that the provision of Sustainable Primary Health Care is a Major Goal of the State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade Healthcare Agenda which also covers the control of maternal mortality and infancy diseases and /nutrition control among others.
Speaking, Commissioner for Health, Dr Betta Edu said the week long exercise was to improve access the basic health care services for all while reducing morbidity and mortality in mothers, pregnant women and children of age 0-5.
She said the health week will feature routine immunisation against childhood killer diseases, administration of Vitamin A for children, deworming of children, screening for acute malnutrition in children with appropriate referrals, provisions of ante natal care iron-folate for pregnant women, distribution of mosquito nets to pregnant and lactating women as well as health education on key health tips for household practices and HIV testing, amongst others.
According to His Excellency, Prof Ben Ayade since his assumption of office has recorded some tremendous achievements in improving the quality of healthcare delivery services for people of the state and in this exercise we would be covering over 856,000 children under five and pregnant women in the state.
Also Speaking, Dr Janet David Ekpenyong DG CRSPHCDA said the week was set up to fight and reduce maternal and infant child mortality. She urged women, guardians to make their wards available for immunization and other loads of packages.
The DG assured the community of immediate revitalization of the health center to cater for the healthcare of the people in the community. According to her Governor Ben Ayade is very committed to drastically reduce maternal mortality and infancy through interventions such as State health insurance scheme “Ayadecare”.
Earlier Speaking, Permanent Secretary Dr Joseph Bassey reiterated State Government commitment to provision of standard healthcare while Unicef representative, Dr Iyabola Ajibola added that children forms part of the most vulnerable in the society and as such should at least be immunised. She added that UNICEF will continue to play a pivotal role in support of immunization in Cross River State.
The Nasarawa Community in Bacoco calabar municipality who turned out in their number were overwhelmed with joy and thank the Governor for his intervention stating that the will patronize the health care facility close to them. The joyously led the Commissioner for health and her team to their homes where she offered them LLITNets.