|14th December, 2017| Prince Charles Ekanem
As second round of the 2017 maternal newborn and child health week kick off in various health centres across the State; Cross River State Government has expressed its readiness to have about 1,500,000 cross Riverians during this year’s second round of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW) exercise flagged off at Biase Local Government Council Secretariat yesterday, 11th December, 2017.
The Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Prof Ivara Ejemot Esu represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Inyang Asibong, said the campaign is targeted at pregnant women, women of child bearing age, children of age 5 to 59 months who would be supplemented with Vitamin A and children of age 0 to 11 months.
According to her children of nine months of age would be vaccinated against measles and yellow fever, while pregnant women of child bearing age would be administered with Tetanus Toxide (TT).
She noted that what is happening in Biase is concurrently going on in other LGAs across the State which will help to improve the health of mothers and health indices across the State and this is coming at the right time when the State Health Insurance Scheme is to be flag off.
Finally she encouraged everyone to enroll in the State Health Insurance Scheme ( AYADECARE) for just 1,000Naira beginning from 15th December, 2017.
Earlier Speaking, Dr Betta Edu said twice a year Cross River State goes all out to provide special intervention targeted at our mothers and children.
According to her this interventions is to reduced maternal mortality and mortality of children under five. She noted that the Cross River State Governor, Senator ( Prof ) Ben Ayade is particularly concerned about women, children and vulnerabe in the society which he works hard to address their needs.
She said all the hard to reach areas in the 2nd round interventions will be approached whether by boat, canoe, bike, bicycle or motorcycle to ensure that people receive services like Vitamin A, Malaria treatment, HIV test and treatment, Albendazole for deworming of children, malnutrition screening where severe malnourished children will be picked up and rehabilitated would also form part of the weeklong exercise.
"We are hoping to reach at least 423,000 children during this exercise and about 153,000 pregnant women and others. This is important especially at the moment where over 9000 refuges have come into Cross River state from Cameroon.
She commended Hellen Keller International and all other partners for their support in the Second Round Maternal Newborn and Child Health Week as the State hopes for a better outcome.
Permanent Secretary SMOH, Dr Joseph Bassey explained that the routine exercise was aimed at fighting diseases generally in the state through nutrition screening and counseling for malnourished children, deworming of children, antenatal care, birth preparedness and complication readiness for pregnant mothers.
He added that parents and guardians would be educated on management of childhood illnesses, while demonstration of proper hand-washing and birth registration would follow.
The Honorable Commissioner, Dr Inyang Asibong later led members of the State Health team, representative of National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Partners and Traditional Rulers to immunize the first set of children in Biase.
Also various pluses, soaps, albendazoles tablets iron foliate tablets, biscuits, fruit juice, cups, bowls, were given to children and mothers as motivation by the State Government across the 18 LGAs.
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