By Onwa Ekor
For recording impressive milestones in primary healthcare revitalization, through the Immunization Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT) Project and the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), House of Representatives Committee on Healthcare services has offered Cross River government a pat on the back
The Committee, led by its Chairman, Hon. Amos Magaji, made the commendation during an oversight visit to assess the implementation of key health interventions across the state.
Addressing journalists after the tour, Magaji praised the governor, Prince Bassey Otu, for his vision to strengthen the healthcare delivery system, describing the reform as a model of intergovernmental collaboration between the state and the federal government.
“What we have seen in Cross River is remarkable as the primary healthcare system here is undergoing genuine renewal.
“Governor Otu’s administration is investing heavily in access and quality and if this pace continues, every ward in the state will soon boast of a functional health centre, bringing us closer to universal health coverage by 2030,” Magaji remarked.
He explained that the Committee’s mission was to evaluate how funds from the IMPACT Project and the BHCPF were being deployed, identify implementation challenges, and recommend policy support at the federal level.
Magaji also hinted that findings from the visit would guide future legislative interventions to strengthen healthcare delivery nationwide.
Receiving the delegation, Commissioner for Health, Dr Henry Ayuk, expressed gratitude for the visit, describing it as a validation of the state’s reforms and accountability mechanisms.
“Cross River’s progress is the product of strategic partnerships, between the state, the federal government, the World Bank, and development partners. In less than two years, Governor Otu’s administration has achieved a turnaround in both infrastructure and service delivery,” Ayuk stated.
He further highlighted the creation of the Drug Management Agency, which has stabilized the supply of essential medicines and vaccines across facilities.
Contributing, the Director General, Cross River Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Vivien Mesembe Otu, disclosed that over 100 primary healthcare centres have been renovated under the combined funding of the IMPACT Project, BHCPF, and direct state interventions.
“When we took office, many facilities were dilapidated. Today, more than 100 have been refurbished and staffed.
“We now have at least two skilled birth attendants in each of the 196 political wards, a major step toward improving maternal and child health,” the DG disclosed.
She appreciated the support of international partners such as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Red Cross, Global Fund, among others whose technical and logistic contributions have complimented the state’s investment.
IMPACT Project Manager, Dr. Paul Odey, explained that the initiative was designed to upgrade facilities from Level 1 to Level 2 status, ensuring that each centre is adequately equipped and staffed to provide comprehensive healthcare.
“Our goal is to ensure every Level 2 facility has delivery suites, wards, laboratories, pharmacies, family planning units, water, power, and perimeter fencing.
“The project is closing human resource gaps and improving outcomes for mothers and children,” Odey said.
