By CrossRiverWatch Admin
In a bid to enforce the ban on gatherings above five, the health commissioner in Cross River state, Betta Edu in a statement on Wednesday said an ad-hoc monitoring task force with membership co-opted from over three dozen organizations and bodies will be inaugurated on Thursday.
“The Cross River state Ministry of Health at this time of a global pandemic which we must protect citizens in our dear state, has set up a monitoring taskforce to contain the outbreak of the pandemic,” the statement which said the action was in line with the directive of the Governor, read.
Members of the task force which will be led by Dr. Edu include; the Chairman, committee on health in the State Assembly, other commissioners, all past commissioners of health, members of the House committee on health, the Director General of the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency (CRSPHCDA), the Director General of Border Commission and medical appointees of government.
Others are the management teams of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Cross River state ministry of health as well as the CRSPHCDA, all health development partners and members of the emergency operations center (EOC).
The Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Customs Service, Nigerian Police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, State Security Service, Nigerian Immigration Service, Federal Road Safety Corps and the Vehicle Inspection Officers are also members.
Furthermore, government approved media personnel, Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers, representatives of the religious bodies, all paramount rulers, Heads of Local Government Administration, Directors General of the Signage and Advertisement Agency and State Electrification Agency.
Also, the national union of road transport workers and their counterparts in the vehicle and tricycle drivers association, the market women association, immediate past permanent secretary of the health ministry, and the union of traders are members.
The representatives of the Nigerian Medical Association, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Medical Women Association, Private Hospitals, National Youth Council of Nigeria, National Association of Nigerian Students Joint Campus Commission, National Association of Cross River State Students Worldwide, Student Union Governments of tertiary institutions in the state are also members.
The rest are social mobilization officers, board members of the CRSPHCDA, DLGHA’s, Special Adviser on Marine and the Special Adviser on religious affairs.
The statement said the task force will “help in developing protocol for action, enforcement of Governor’s directives as well as Federal Government directives,” and will recommend “further protocols and best practices” for the state on the COVID-19 pandemic as well as advising on “reversal triggers for when to reopen all entry and exit points.”
The inauguration is billed for 10:00AM at the Udoakaha Jacob Esuene sports stadium.