By Onwa Ekor
In its resolve to reduce maternal and neonatal deaths, 54 health workers in Cross River were recently trained on basic obstetric ultrasonography.
The training was organised by the state Immunization plus and malaria progress by accelerating coverage and transforming services (IMPACT), a World Bank-assisted project in collaboration with the Ministry of Health as well as the Primary Health Care development agency.
Cross River deputy governor, Rt. Hon Peter Odey, while flagging off the event in Calabar, also announced the procurement of 18 ultrasound scan machines by the state government and the World Bank.
Odey who was represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Henry Ayuk, remarked that the machines would be domiciled in each of the high performing facility in the 18 local government areas of the state.
According to the deputy governor, “this training is important on the basis that you need to carry out simple and basic ultra service scan in our pregnant mothers as every pregnant mother is meant to have a minimum of three ultra service scan before delivery, a development that has not been achieved.”
“Again, we cannot take these scans when we don’t have health workers to mount them,” Odey said, adding that, “initially we thought of training only radiographers, but it is important we have a sustainable operational process, hence we are training midwives, radiographers, laboratory technicians as well as Community Health extension workers in the Primary Health Care facilities across the state.”
Describing the training as both academic and practical exercise, the deputy governor reasoned that, it would ensure that the participants get acquainted with adequate knowledge of carrying out basic ultra sound scan to check pregnant mothers in the rural communities who get pregnant and never experienced ultrasound services throughout the duration of their pregnancy.
Chairman, House of Assembly Committee on Health, Rt. Hon. Hilary Bisong, described the deployment of the ultrasound machines as a major step towards democratising healthcare delivery in the state.
Applauding the governor for prioritising citizens’ health through strategic investments in the sector, Bisong who represents Boki 2 Constituency, maintained that the procurement of one ultrasound machine for each local government area remains a clear demonstration that access to quality healthcare should not be determined by location.
“These eighteen ultrasound scanners are more than medical equipment, as they represent the democratisation of healthcare,” the lawmaker said.
He further assured that the lawmaking body in the state would continue to support through adequate policies and oversights in order to sustain healthcare improvements.
IMPACT Project Manager, Paul Odey,
disclosed that the state had recorded progress in maternal health outcomes, with maternal mortality reducing from 54 cases in 2023 to six in the first quarter of 2026, while routine immunisation coverage had also improved.
Director General of the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Vivian Mesembe Otu, charged the trainees to ensure that the machines translate into improved health outcomes, cautioning that facilities must refer complicated cases detected through scans promptly.
“The governor,” she pointed out, “is investing heavily through the IMPACT project into primary healthcare, therefore, we have no business contributing to morbidity and mortality in our newborns, maternal mortality and under-five mortality.”
Other stakeholders, including the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Jonah Offor; Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Head of Service, Dr. Mary-Theresa Eba; and Chairman of the State chapter of Nigerian Medical Association, Dr. Ezeoke Epoke, commended the initiative, describing it as a strategic investment in healthcare workforce and service delivery.
Highpoint of the event was a practical demonstration of the Ultrasound machine by some specialists.
