Cross River Wants Commitment From Beneficiaries Of Maternal New Born & Child Health Programme
CALABAR, December 06, (THEWILL) - The Cross River State Government has urged beneficiaries of the 2012 Maternal New Born and Child Health programme to be committed by making themselves available and taking advantage of its free medical services.
The State Deputy Governor Mr. Efiok Cobham gave the advice on behalf of State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, at Ikom Local Government Secretariat, while flagging-off the November round of the Maternal New Born and Child week in the State.
According to Governor Imoke, the Maternal New Born and Child Health Week provided an opportunity for pregnant mothers and children under five, who have missed such services during the year to catch up.
He said the event was also meant to administer de-worming tablets to children while Vitamin A supplements were also administered to boost their immunity, adding that the de-worming exercise would check malnutrition in the kids.
In his address, the Chairman of Ikom Local government Council, Dr Tony Ngban, said his council had in 2011, recorded 98 percent success in the area of MNCH and immunization, using vitamin ‘A’ as key target indicator; while 104 percent success was recorded in its 2nd round in December, 2011.
According to Dr Ngban, an Ultra Modern Health Centre has been completed at Okuni by the Canadian Development Agency which has been handed over; while work is on-going on a similar facility, at Ngbaka by the European Union, (Mppg), in collaboration with his council.
In her assertion, the commissioner for Health, Dr Mrs Angela Oyo-Ita condemned in totality reports that the mothers were paying for medical services rendered to children between the ages of Zero to five years in Health Centres.
She, however, expressed the state government’s readiness to reduce child mortality in the state.
The representative of UNICEF, Mrs. Maureen Okolo commended the state government for flagging-off the programme in Ikom.
High point of the occasion was a rendition by pregnant women and demonstration of de-worming exercise by, the Deputy Governor, Mr. Efiok Cobham.