Cross River Targets 1.7 Million Residents In Week Long Immunisation

By Ushang Ewa

The Cross River State government says it is targeting about one million seven hundred and fifty million residents in the ongoing 2018 first round of the maternal newborn and child health week.

The week will feature free immunisation as well as the provision of vitamin A supplement, deworming of children, use of oral rehydration salt with zinc for children and distribution of insecticide treated mosquito nets among others with a total of 1.1 million children and 650,000 women expected to benefit according to the Director General of the Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Betta Edu.

Edu who said the state is recognised for its health records, noted that the state has partnered relevant stakeholders to ensure the reduction of maternal mortality.

The health commissioner and CrossRiverWatch man of the year 2017, Dr. Inyang Asibong on her part said the state has reached the milestone in the reduction of preventable deaths rate, with a determination to do more.

She said the state will scale up some basic steps in the area of family planning, preventive treatment of malaria in pregnant women and prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS.

The wife of Cross River State governor, Dr. Linda Ayade, flagged off the exercise in Ikom on Friday with a promise that the state is committed to fostering strong partnership with communities to ensure access of mothers and children to free medical outreaches.

The maternal newborn and child health week, “was designed to deliver a weeklong integrated package of highly cost-effective, yet results oriented preventive and curative services,” Ayade said, adding that: “We are fostering strong partnership between government and communities to provide basic right to life for the mother and child through every means possible.”

She charged residents to take advantage of the exercise and commended a group; ‘executive council wives forum’ for organising a free medical outreach while advocating for all to key into the state’s social health insurance scheme, Ayadecare.