Cross River State Governor Senator Bassey Otu
By Akpan David, Calabar
Cross River State government has employed more doctors and other medical personnel into the state owned hospitals since Gov Bassey Otu came to power on 29 May 2023.
Commissioner for health in the State, Dr Henry Egbe Ayuk disclosed that they came to meet only 24 doctors, six pharmacists and few midwives, and that before end of December 2023, many more are to leave the service.
Ayuk in a media chat, disclosed that the state governor had directed that serious attention must be paid quickly to training and engagement of more doctors to rejuvenate the sector.
Ayuk said that they have trained several laboratory technicians and equipped five health centers with boreholes, generators, beds, motorcycles, etc, in three months.
He said presently they have engaged no fewer than five doctors and more to follow in the next few weeks in a bid to replenish population of doctors.
“In the following weeks, we will further engage more doctors to fill up the yawning gaps left behind by doctors who left.
“We have employed additional pharmacists, science lecturers, Nurses, midwives and public health lecturers to strengthen health facilities and Colleges of Nursing Sciences for accreditation and service delivery.
“We are already deploying many. We are looking at having, at least, one doctor in each local government area who will go round the Primary Healthcare Centres.
“We have erected some medical staff quarters in Akamkpa LGA as parts of incentives to encourage health workers to stay and work in rural areas.
“We have concluded arrangements with University of Calabar Teaching Hospital to have their doctors hold trainings in our local health centres.
“We have strengthened medical libraries with additional books and equipment in the state Colleges of Nursinf Sciences.”
He stressed that Otu’s government will be intolerant to quacks as well as those that take delight enriching themselves using patients.
He disclosed further that the Basic Healthcare Fund from foreign donors will also be applied in refurbishing the 196 PHCs in each ward.
He said however that Otu, is rebirthing the health sector by putting in place a cost-effective health care system, that guarantees health care to all of our people as a right.
