Cross River State Government has unveiled strategic plan 8! Partnership with the United Nations Fund and Population Agency (UNFPA) to achieve Global Program for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Strategic Partnership was sealed during a two-day 2020 end of the Year review and 2021 annual work plan event held in Calabar.
Declaring the meeting open, the State Commissioner for International Development Cooperation, Inyang Asibong, called on all partners to assess the extent of UNFPA’s program implementation and results achieved in relations to the planned intervention in 2020 associated with COVID-19 pandemic.
Asibong said the partnership will also unveil a 2021 strategy which would serve as post-COVID-19 recovery plan across board.
She added that "The strategic plan should be in tandem with the State Government’s priority and the UNFPA key agenda on 2030 principles to achieve universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, focusing on women, adolescents and youth, advising that the strategic plan should ensure everyone is carried along with premium concentration on reaching vulnerable people in the hinterlands as a key priority".
In his opening remarks, the Head of Office, UNFPA, Dr Polycarpe Takou, called on all partners to use the experience they have gotten over the year, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, to agree on high impact activities to be implemented in 2021.
He also assured the state partners of continuous support to ensure no one is left behind, and that; "The strategic plan should focus on Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Services, Gender Based Violence (GBV), prevention and response, risk communication and community engagement, and provision of life-saving supplies and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Betta Edu, and the Director General of the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency (CRSPHCDA), Dr. Janet Ekpenyong, also added their voices to the strategy development and implementations.
Over 693,000 Children to get vaccinated against Meningitis in Cross River State
In efforts to prevent a meningitis outbreak in the state and continue boosting the immunity of children against meningitis, the Cross River State Government, in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the World Health Organization (WHO), with support from UNICEF, MDF, and others today kicked off a State wide campaign to reach at least 693,000 children with lifesaving potent vaccines.
Children between ages 1-5 years will be vaccinated across the 18 Local Government Areas of the State with special focus on markets, schools, churches, mosques, creeks, hard to reach communities and every catchment area where target population lives.
Flagging of the campaign, the Cross River State Deputy Governor, Prof Ivara Ejemot Esu who was represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Betta Edu disclosed that meningitis is a dangerous diseases affecting children and these disease could cause death or permanent deformity in children by affecting their intellectual ability.
Dr Edu lauded the efforts of traditional, religious leaders, community leaders and development partners for their dogedness and resilience towards the promotion of health care for the people of the State.
She further stated, “The Government of Senator Prof Ben Ayade is committed to ensuring every eligible child is reached with these lifesaving potent vaccines as no child deserves to die from any vaccine preventable disease. “We have trained over 3000 health workers and they have been deployed in teams for this activities with logistics fully provided. I am confident we will hit the 100% target”
Director General of Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Janet Ekpenyong in her remarks commended the Governor for his show of concern and support to ensuring that every child is protected against Meningitis and other vaccine preventable diseases.
Dr Ekpenyong called on Mothers to ensure that they take their children to medical facilities for vaccination, stressing that they should make the best use of the opportunity.
The representative of NPHCDA, Dr Halima Tafida revealed that with so many Nigerians at risk from meningitis every year, Immunization with the MeneA vaccine can help to limit outbreaks.
Speaking on behalf of the development partners, Chief Operating Officer of Mediatrix Development Foundation, Mr Jeffrey Adamade used the occasion to restate the commitment and focus of the partners towards strengthening as well as repositioning the health sector of the State to meet the yearnings of the citizens.
Highlight of the event was the vaccination of children present by the Deputy Governor’s Representative Dr Betta Edu and DG CRSPHCDA Dr Janet Ekpenyong.
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