Charles Ekanem|5 June 2017
Below constitute the laudable achievements of Gov. Ben Ayade in the health sector especially Primary Health Care in Cross River State, which may suffix to your question about government Interventions.
The achievements are categorised under subheadings, namely, Strengthening PHC System , Renovations, Rehabilitation and Equipping of PHCs, Creation of Health Posts, Service Delivery, CRS Malaria Elimination Programmes, Capacity Building , Effective Collaboration and Partnership Support.
RECENT STRIDES
* 6 PHC centers receive medical equipment worth $100,000
*PHC Ikot Offiong ambai maternity Akpabuyo get medical consumables worth $5000
*Staff verification exercise where over 400 ghost workers found and 130 fake certificates discovered.
*Introduction of delivery kit for every pregnant woman that give birth in 30 selected PHC facilities
*Primary Healthcare Workers transfer from LGA to the Agency. Improved welfare with rural allowances.
* CRSPHCDA has successfully began payment of Health workers in the State from March 2017.
* on going Construction of New Health Centre in YACHE, Yala LGA.
*support passage of Ayade Care AKA state health insurance scheme into law. Carried out sensitization for Ayade care in 78 communities
* Ayade launched operation hard to reach. Taking health care to where people leave. 68 communities covered in 2 years. Governor Ayade was represented by Dr Betta Edu in all
* vitamin A supplementation for 700,000 children
*50 Solar system for 50 PHC supported by wecare solar. Delivered installed and functional
STRENGTHENING PHC SYSTEM.
*Establishment of CRSPHCDA.
*Appointment of 1st Director General of Cross River State Primary Health care Development Agency – DR. BETTA EDU and Board Members.
*Gazzetted the CRSPHCDA law No 3 of 2016.
*Developed the first Multi year Operational Plan (MYOP) for the Primary Health care in the state.
*Creation of TBA working committee to regulate the roles of TBAs in CRS communities.
*Employment of 18 Doctors at the LGA to provide quality health care services to Cross Riverians in all LGAs of the state.
*Revive ward Development committee in all wards to improve community participation
* provision of potent vaccine immunization for over 800,000 children on a monthly bases
RENOVATIONS, REHABILITATION AND EQUIPPING OF PHCs
* building of 3 comprehensive primary health centers at IDP camp Bakassi and, etung border in Collaboration with national border agency
*Renovation and equipping of comprehensive Health Centre, Etayip Ikom. Commissioned by wife of President Mrs Aisha Buhari
*Renovation and equipping of Primary Health Centre Bedia, Obudu LGA.
*Renovation and equipping of Primary health Centre, Adijinkpor, Ikom LGA.
*Renovation and equipping of Primary Health Centre Aningeje, Akamkpa LGA.
*building and transfer of new state Cold store with walk in cold room installation
*Repairs of cold chain equipment and installation of new equipment to improve the state cold chain monitoring and effective immunization services.
*Provision of 600 delivery kits to four PHC in the state supported by Mediatrix Development Foundation (MDF) and United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA).
*Provision of 10 Direct Solar Refrigerators supported by European Union Support to Immunization Governance in Nigeria (E.U SIGN).
*Provision of 10 solar panels for 10 PHC facilities in CRS supported by E.U SIGN.
*One new walk-in cold room for immunisation for cold chain maintenance supported by NDDC.
*over 50000 delivery kits supported by saving mothers giving life and MDF.
* renovation of newly allocated PHC agency building.
CREATION OF HEALTH POSTS.
Creation of Primary health post in IDP camp one at Ikot Eyo, Akpabuyo.
*Creation of Primary Health post in IDP camp two at Ikot Effiom, Bakassi.
*Creation of PHC post at all borders communities to improve disease surveillance and prevent trans border spread of diseases. (Ist of its kind in Nigeria).
*Creation of Health Post, Burrowpit, Calabar Municipality.
SERVICE DELIVERY
*Implementation of 1st &2nd round of 2015 Maternal New-Born and Child Health Week (MNCH) Sponsored by CRS Government and supported by UNICEF.
*Implementation of first and 2nd round of 2016 MNCHW Sponsored by CRS Government and supported by UNICEF.
*Implementation of the 1st PHC Integrated Supportive Supervision in the state and Conducted regular supportive supervisory visit to primary health facilities.
*Introduced the use of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV).
*Successful implementation of measles campaign exercise 2016 with support from the state counterpart and partners.
*Cross River State came top in the nation and received donation from Christian Association of Nigeria for the exercise.
*Successful implementation of 1st and 2nd 2016 Round Am Immunisation plus days with government counterpart funding
and support from partners.
*Implementation of 1st and 2nd round of 2016 MNCHW with launch of Project Future Assured and Mediatrix Development Foundation in CRS by the Wife of the President and Wife of Governor Dr. Linda Ayade.
*Implementation of African Vaccination week 2016 and 2017 with focus on immunizing vulnerable children in IDP's Camps in Bakassi and Akpabuyo as well as providing other healthcare services to less privilege in hard to reach areas.
*Needs Assessment of all PHC facilities in the state.
*Holding of 1st ever town hall meeting on health in various LGA in CRS.
*Created massive public awareness on appropriate management of diarrhoea in children using low-ORS and zinc through bulk SMS and community activation.
*Successfully Implementation of the global Switch from tOPV to bOPV
CRS MALARIA ELIMINATION PROGRAM.
*Replacement of 2.2 million Long lasting Insecticide treated Nets in CRS (atleast 2 persons in every house has access to LLITN).
*Commemoration of World Malaria Day 2016, 2017 with distribution of bed nets to over 20,000 persons, rapid diagnosis testing for malaria before treatment of 50,000 in all PHC across the state and outreaches.
*Training of 1600 health workers on malaria case management and rapid diagnostic testing/data reporting.
*Partnering with the wife of the governor Dr. Linda Ayade to create 100 Hunt Malaria Clubs under the Mediatrix Development foundation Health projects.
CAPACITY BUILDING
*Creation of first ever CRSPHCDA website, www.crsphcda.com and training of staff on how to use and sustain it.
*Training of all State and LGA Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) officers on Data Management and reporting.
*Trained 2586 Health workers on the state of malaria monitoring and evaluation of National Health Management Information system, Rapid diagnostic test for malaria in partnership with Global Funds.
*Capacity building of over 2000 health workers on current management of diarrhoea in children.
*Trained health workers on IMCI and ICCM in collaboration with WHO and NPHCDA.
Training staff on one PHC per ward policy and their expected roles
EFFECTIVE COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP SUPPORT.
*Supported the Wife of the Governor Dr. Mrs Linda Ayade in the fight against maternal mortality.
*Partners Coordination and donor mapping in collaboration with Ministry of Health.
*Stakeholders Advocacy and Sensitization dialogue on exclusive breast feeding in CRS in collaboration with Ministry of Health and Society gor Family health.
*Partner with MDF to initiate Programs in schools. Some of which include the Hunt Malaria Club Initiative.
*Supply 3000 Zinc and ORS to children in the State in response to the Diarrhoea outbreak in Yakurrr and Biase.
*Supported the passage of Bye Law Against Open defecation in Yakurr LGA.
*Supported and Commissioned Health Clinic in Government Secondary School, Adiabo Ikot Mbo Otu in collaboration with a 2015 Batch A NYSC Member Adeniji Adedoyin Kanyinsola .
*Provision of health Commodities to the Military Barracks Community C.3 Amphibious Brigade.
*Provide 2 million naira worth of Immunization kits supported by Tulsi Chanrai Foundation.
*Collaboration with Media to improve Health Information dissemination in CRS paid advocacy visits to CRBC, NTA, AIT, VON, Social Media etc.
*Collaboration with National Primary Health Care Development Agency and Cross River State House of Assembly and other state line ministries to aid seamless delivery of PHC activities in the state.
*Champion Lassa Fever Campaign in 1500 rural communities in Cross River State in Partnership with State Ministry of Health.
*Free Health Outreach to the war ridden Adadama Community of Abi LGA and supply of relief materials ( 942 persons reached).
*Collaboration with Dr. Linda Ayade Health projects through the mediatrix foundation, to provide free health outreach for 6340 persons with free major and minor surgeries for about 452 persons in Ikom and Ugep.
*Free Health outreach at Primary Health Center Army Junction in collaboration with Aggiewinsor foundation and Jesus House London.
*Implemented the 2015 World Breast Feeding Week in collaboration with UNICEF.
HARD TO REACH AREAS
The Operation Hard to Reach Areas was launch recently, precisely on the 7th of April, 2017. So we are still covering communities that need health services. But so far we have visited
1. Etono Community in Biase LGA.
2. Ekpene Eki Odupani LGA.
3. Anantigha Calabar South LGA
4. Ekoi Community Akamkpa LGA
5. Assessment of the save 1million live funds
6 Financial interventions/support from international donors which is in turn leveraging on government expenses in the health sector
7. Giving the state the needed recognition amongst Committee of states in Nigerian and diaspora. Just to mention a few.
8. Cross River State Scored High in Immunization coverage by UNICEF and National Primary Healthcare Development Agency.
Charles Ekanem
Writes from Calabar
