Eneji Simon Ushie, 19 May 2020
The Cross River State Government has again benefitted from another worthy partnership with "United Purpose" a non Governmental organization operating in the state in the fight against covid19.
Head of programmes for the "United Purpose" on wash and sanitation, Mr Nanpet Chuktu says the partnership having yielded results over the years on improving sanitation and hand wash decided to expand its scope of operation and assist the state Government to fight the novel corona virus.
He said just like every other air and water borne disease, good sanitation and effective hand wash, could help check the spread of Covid19 and thus the in-cooperation of all programmes to assist indigenes and residents of Cross River State.
Mr Chuktu said the core mandate of the organization is to ensure that people in hard to reach areas of the state get familiar with the essentials of hand wash and proper sanitation to avoid some common diseases around us and that has made the group rely deeply on the expertize of the Primary Health Care Agency who are front liners in public health, safety and grassroot mobilization for health programs.
Responding to the gesture, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Betta Edu who Received the materials with the Director General Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Janet Ekpenyong on behalf of the state, said the materials wouldn't have come at a better time than now when majority of health workers have been mobilized to various villages and communities to promote various preventive measures to curb the spread of the pandemic with sanitation and hand washing known to be critical in the fight.
She however charged the health workers to make judicious use of the materials by collaborating with heads of villages, traditional leaders, employ the use traditional media like town criers to simplify the various printed messages.
Earlier speaking, the Director General, Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency said United Purpose have been a dependable partner who have shown commitments to complement the efforts of His Excellency Senator Prof. Ben Ayade by providing Information, Education and Communication materials that will help disseminate the right information on Covid-19 all the way to the grassroots particularly the hard to reach communities.
She also highlighted the state Government's efforts so far in ensuring that Cross River State remains Covid-19 free and admonished the Directors and other health workers to intensify their Sensitization across the state.
Some of the items donated by the group include 2500 printed paper messages each to 14 Local Government Area Council, 3500 each of same messages to 4 of their cardinal and focal LGAs including Bekwarra, Biase, Obanliku and Abi.
Prior to now, the group have organized a rally in partnership with the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency within the metropolis to promote handwash.
