By CrossRiverWatch admin
Pathfinders International in collaboration with WE CARE SOLAR have committed to provide Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (CRSPHCDA) with 50 highly efficient solar energy systems to provide lighting in Primary Health Centers that have poor access to electricity.
According to Dr. Yemisi Pius, State Program Manager of Pathfinders, WE CARE will do the supply of the solar power systems while SMGL will handle the installation and training of CRSPHCDA/ PHC facility staff to manage and maintain the solar systems.
The solar system which contains 4 lead lights, Feotal doppler, batteries charger and a mobile phone charging port to enable health workers charge their phone, is to be placed in the labor and delivery room, emergency room and resuscitation room to aid timely, safe, appropriate emergency obstetric care and lower maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality in the rural areas.
She said the systems are also expected to boost services in the Saving Mothers Giving Life PHC centers with medical lighting, mobile communication and essential medical devices as well as provide reliable lighting and power to the operating rooms and maternity wards.
She added that the organization will continue partnering with Cross River State Government to make sure maternal mortality is defeated in the state.
While responding, the DG of the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Betta Edu said “with the economic downturn in the country and state, the role of development partners filling existing gaps in the primary health care system can’t be overemphasized. As such Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency has gone all out seeking this effective partnership to revamp the system”.
Dr. Betta thanked Pathfinder International and We Care Solar for filling in an identified gap in the PHC system. She said she’s very confident that after these installations Cross River State will notice decline in institutional maternal deaths, increase in uptake of maternal services by members of the community who will be confident that the can access quality care at any time of the night, with an increased capacity of PHC workers to admit mothers in labor.
She said the Solar from what she has seen is user-friendly and can be easily maintained by frontline health workers which use to be the challenge with previous solar systems supplied.
She said that CRSPHCDA will be willing to partner with WE CARE solar and pathfinder to ensure more solar systems are brought in to cover more PHCs in remote villages.
Dr. Edu informed Pathfinder of the current strides recorded by the State Governor, Senator Ben Ayade and his wife Dr Linda Ayade on reduction of maternal mortality in the state through her pet project “Mediatrix Development Foundation.
She assured the organization of government’s continuous support for the fight against maternal mortality.
She further stated that the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Inyang Asibong, who is the leader of the health team in the state is doing everything within her capacity to revitalise the PHC system which is the focus of the new administration, noting that this partnership will help Cross River State achieve the one functional PHC per ward.
The 50 solar energy system on arrival will go a long way to support PHC’s with high rate of delivery in the night and strengthen maternal and child health care services. The complete set of 50 is expected to arrive Cross River State next week.