By: Emmanuel Ulayi.
Every war must have a war room; a situation room where the gladiators meet to plan, strategize, analyze, update, brief and effectively mange response to any issue. The health challenges in the country and indeed the state has called for this war room approach to effectively respond to health challenges, gather Data, monitor staff and facility performance as well as link communities to health services, there is need for the Health response in the state to go digital and that is exactly what the Government of Governor Ben Ayade has done!
The World has gone digital and the CRS Health Sector is not left behind. Today the State’s Deputy Governor Prof Ivara Ejemot Esu has unveiled the State’s Health Situation Room located at the Cross River State Ministry of Health an idea and vision of the workaholic Health Commissioner Dr Betta Edu aimed at digitalizing the health response in the state.
The State Commissioner for Health who played host to His Excellency welcomed the dynamic and health pro Deputy Governor addressing him as the “Father of Immunization” to the Ministry after a brief stop in her office where Prof Ivara couldn’t hide his excitement but went further to commend her for the tremendous transformation she has achieved in the Ministry as he noted numerous changes.
In his words; “I’ll wish to first of all applaud and congratulate the super performing Commissioner for Health who has been able to set the records straight and effect very vital and notable changes in the health sector within a very short time. I can see your magic fingers almost in everything especially your total transformation of the Ministry’s headquarters and innovative ideas/visions that are today driving the health sector of the State forward. As a State we’re indeed very proud of you.
“Again I wish to use this medium to express my happiness and thanks on behalf of the State Governor Sen Prof Ben Ayade to FHI360 and USAID for the support. This Situation Room will help reduce the prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS in the State as well as serve other purposes in the health sector which will include monitoring service delivery at the grass root from here, while getting feedbacks which will help us to strengthen and link up with health facilities across the State. This vision will therefore tell you again that Governor Ayade, Prof Ivara and Dr Betta are indeed working and will continue to deliver in the Health Sector.”
In a vote of thanks, the Health Commissioner Dr Betta Edu immediately after the unveiling of the Situation Room by the Deputy Governor thanked His Execllency Sen Prof Ben Ayade and His Deputy Prof Ivara Esu for the unflinching support stating that the idea behind this drive is to ensure that HIV/AIDS response in the State as well as other health issues can be monitored from a Central Point and solutions to challenges in the the field provided in real time.
“This idea is to enable us supervise/checkmate the activities of staff, partners and performance of Health facilities across the State in not only HIV/AIDS area but also in other health indices. This is important as we kick start the State Health Insurance Scheme (Ayade Care).
“They’re also several interventions going on to help reduce the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate with our partners working assiduously like FHI360, Jpiego, Heartland Alliance, UNICEF etc they have been of immense support and as a State we appreciate them. We won’t only stop at this interventions, proper treatments and drugs will also be provided to facilities to help tackle most of this challenges. we’ll keep doing more as a State and as a Ministry. We won’t rest until we achieve Universal Health Coverage.”
The House Committee Member on Health Dr Ekpo Ekpo Bassey assured the State of a constant synergy between the Legislature and the Executive to achieve results as well as gathering of data timely and regularly so the State can achieve universal health coverage. The Director General of the State Agency for the Control of Aids (SACA) Dr Etcheri Ansa applauded the idea nonoting that the newly unveiled Situation Room will help address the challenge of communication breach especially in hard to reach areas.
“This is a dream comes true and i wish to thank His Excellency for his support as well as the Health Commissioner Dr Betta Edu and all our partners for this great achievement. With this our HIV/Aids prevalence rate will further be reduced from 2% to Zero as this is our desire as State.”
