The Governor of Cross River State, Senator (Prince) Bassey Edet Otu, has restated the commitment of his People-First administration to ensure that the entire people of the state have access to improved healthcare.
The governor gave this assurance recently while receiving the 196 laptops procured through the Cross River State Immunization Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT) Project and funded by the World Bank. The laptops were to be distributed to personnel in the health records units across Primary Health Centres in all the 196 wards of the state.
Prince Otu revealed that N5 billion has been earmarked to enhance primary healthcare facilities in the state out of the sectoral allocation for health in the 2025 budget.
He declared that a significant step has been taken towards improving healthcare in Cross River, with the donation of the 196 laptops from Cross River IMPACT Project, while stating that his government is embracing digital solutions to ensure proper management of health records/information, expand immunization, and in the end, provide better healthcare for all and sundry.
The governor hailed the world bank for their contribution to the enhancement of health services in Cross River, noting that the donation via the IMPACT Project newly introduced in Cross River, will further solidify the relationship between the state and world bank.
He said: “Health has continued to be one of our very major priorities. It is true that without health, of course, we wouldn’t even have a state.
“That is why you can bear me witness that most of the projects that have come out in terms of counterpart funding, we have engaged all of them.
“We’ll continue to give that support, whatever it takes, to make sure that we do our best for our people. We have allocated over 5 billion in our 2025 budget to upscale all our primary health facilities.
“We also have plans for health insurance because we know that health insurance is not where it’s supposed to be. We’re working very hard to come out with the best health insurance for our people.
“Please, ensure that those facilities are put into use and not left as furniture in those offices. Because, actually, the system we are trying to put in place is something that the local government chairmen, the ward councilors, and everybody will be involved.
“Both in education and healthcare, we need to ensure that most of the things that are invested get right down to the people. So, I want to thank the World Bank for these interventions.”
The IMPACT Project Manager, Dr. Paul Odey, who is confident that the project will greatly improve Cross River’s health sector, said: “This is a World Bank project that started on the 17th of February 2021. However, before now, Cross River State was not part of this project. The People’s First mantra came in, and the Sweet Prince approved this thoughtful project to be brought to Cross River State.”
Odey explained that “the project primarily focuses on immunization for children under five, malaria, pregnant women, training and sensitization of health attendants to ensure that facilities are accessible to those living in rural areas.”
Governor Otu’s scorecard in the area of health since assumption of office as Cross River governor has been commended by many including critical stakeholders in the health sector. He is believed to have put in unprecedented energy to transform and improve the health sector in the state, all in a bid to make life better for all citizens in Cross River
His efforts to revamp the health sector in Cross River received the commendation of the state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) when the Commissioner for Health paid a congratulatory visit to the new Executive members of the group of medical experts in September last year.
The NMA through its Chairman, Dr. Ezoeke Epoke, said Otu’s tireless pursuit for an improved health sector has yielded fruitful results as can be seen in the laudable and impressive achievements so far recorded in the health circle.