10 February 2020
Primary Healthcare Centres in Cross River state will commence daily immunisation against the six deadly child diseases.
Dr. Janet Ekpenyong, the Director General of the Cross River Primary Healthcare Development Agency, disclosed this at a meeting of immunisation officers in Calabar, the capital city.
Dr. Ekpenyong, who disclosed that plans were in top gear ahead of the National Immunisation Plus Days, NIPD, slated for February 2020, said the facilities would be equipped with solar panel refrigerators for vaccines storage and additional mobility for difficult terrains.
she said 'we cannot afford to wait for 7 days before administering vaccines to our children and that is why Governor Ben Ayade has made provisions for immunisation exercises to be conducted daily through the workability of our primary healthcare facilities across the state.'
She said the tricycle ambulances in the state will be used to transport vaccines from the storage points to various locations within the wards.
She called on all stakeholders involved in the exercise to engage their heads of facilities to ensure that no child in the state misses out on the forthcoming immunisation exercises.
Score Card
Ekpenyong also hinted that Cross River was undertaking radical approaches to ensure full compliance with procedures and urged the immunization officers to be innovative as well as adopt best practices irrespective of the circumstances surrounding the birth of any child.
“Under my watch, Primary Health Care would be aimed at actualizing 100 percent score card. I urge you all to make sure you do not just wait for parents to bring their wards to our facilities, engage in daily outreaches.
Liaise with operators of traditional birth centres to ensure that once a child is born, such receive the first dose of immunisation, which will help boost the immune system,” she stressed.
She disclosed that remodeling of primary health facilities has begun across the state with the distribution and installation of solar panel refrigerators in each senatorial district.
Ekpenyong further noted that aside from improving on our scorecard, it is the right of every child in Cross River State to receive the best healthcare services just like other children across the globe.
“Children in the rural area should not be exempted and that is why we all must make our contributions, no matter how little, to complement the efforts of the governor and our partners.”
The 2020 national immunisation plus days exercise would be flagged off on Monday the 17th of February at the Primary Healthcare Centre, Ikot Omin in Calabar Municipality.
