Cross River State Governor, Prof Ben Ayade has ordered for the complete overhaul of the Primary Health sector in the state.
The Director General of the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency (CRSPHCDA), Dr. Janet Archibong, disclosed this to newsmen in Calabar on Friday.
Dr Archibong said that the overhaul was to ensure that people at the grassroots feel the impact of the government noting that the Governor was aware of some of the challenges in the health sector, particularly at the primary level and he has ordered a complete overhaul of the primary health sector so that people at the grassroots feel the impact of the government.
“One of the things His Excellency Professor Ben Ayade wants to ensure is that governance gets to communities that are considered to be hard to reach. To actualize this, when I came on board, I ensured that every dilapidated structure is refurbished and for those that don’t have equipments we see how we can equip them.
“Those that have facilities that have actually been built by communities and waiting to be equipped, we will make sure we equip and put them to use. So coming on board, that is one of my targets to ensure that every community has a functional Primary health centre.
“If it means rebuilding or rehabilitating, my intention to ensure that we actually do that and equip them so that everyone will feel the impact of this government in the health sector”, explaining that the agency will ensure that health workers are properly kitted so that if they come across any case of such suspected cases, they will get in touch with the epidemiologist who will take the case from there.
She promised that to actualize comprehensive health coverage for the people, the agency will ensure that they work closely with the secondary and tertiary health care sectors so that services beyond maternal/child health, pregnant women, children and immunization services which are not under the purview of the primary health care sector is appropriately referred.
She said the provision of quality healthcare is a collective responsibility and the agency will keep its doors open for collaboration with communities so that the health centers is put to optimum use for the benefit of the people of the state adding that Governor has promised to provide quality primary health care services in hard to reach areas in the state.
