Efio-Ita Nyok|22 April 2018
Special Adviser —Insurance, to the Executive Governor of Cross River state, Chief Godwin Iyala, recently confirmed that the state Governor, Senator (Prof) Ben Ayade will be flagging off the Cross River State Health Insurance Scheme come 28th of May, 2018 at 30 Barracks Road NegroidHaven can report authoritatively.
Iyala noted this during the sensitisation campaign for Save One Million Lives (SOML) held recently in Calabar. He added that Ayadecare enrollment which will afford people from all nooks and crannies of the State to access healthcare for free will begin that day. He urged Cross Riverians and residents of the State to come out en mass and enroll on it.
Cross River State Health Insurance Scheme (Ayadecare), with support from Save One Million Lives sensitised the public on Friday about Ayadecare benefits and enrollment ahead of the official flag-off by His Excellency, Senator (Prof) Ben Ayade on the 28th of May, 2018.
Speaking, Dr Inyang Asibong, the Honourable Commissioner for Health lauded the community and royal fathers for coming out for the event. She said SOML fund is for mothers and children across the State. According to her Cross River have performed exceedingly well with the fund as many lives of children and women have been saved.
Dr Asibong noted that Ayadecare program will complement the SOML fund by giving free medicare to Cross Riverians.
Prior to the sensitisation event, the state health insurance scheme, Core Implementation Team in her review meeting held at the office of the Director General of Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Calabar identified some of the key loopholes that needed urgent response.
The Director General, CRSPHCDA, Dr Betta Edu while speaking, decried the dearth of trained Nurses in primary healthcare facilities across the state and calls for bridging of the huge capacity gap. She noted that, the knowledge gap between Nurses and chews is very high and it affects the quality of healthcare service delivery at the grassroots as both personnel mode of training differs.
According to the DG, Nurses work like Doctors unlike Chews with a low level of commitment in attending to clients and as such, more nurses should be employed to fill in the knowledge gap. She noted that, though Doctors are not supposed to take care of Primary Healthcare facilities as seen in developed countries, the state, however, has been able to ensure it employs 1 Doctor per a LG, except in Calabar South LGA where there are two Doctors ( A Corper Doctor )
She implored clients to see more nurses and Chews and where there is a Doctor, is a plus.
Dr Edu lauded Pathfinder International in recalling services of retired Nurses into the Primary Healthcare system said, it was another milestone in boosting healthcare services in the state.
The Team had in attendance S.A Insurance, Godwin Iyala, Dr Kanu Aya, Ibiam Azu from USAID Health Finance and Governance, Dr Janet Ekpenyong, Lovelyn Eteng amongst others.
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