By: Admin.
On behalf of the entire Cross River State Ministry of Health, and the Health sector; I want to welcome everyone to 2022 where all our hopes and dreams will come to fruition. I want to express my profound gratitude to His Excellency, Sir Ben Ayade our Executive, health-friendly and very Digital Governor and His wife Dr Linda Ayade for their immeasurable support and contributions in making 2021 a very fantastic year for the Health Sector.
I acknowledge all Staff, Members, Partners, key Stakeholders and the Public for making 2021 very fulfilling and impactful. Despite the many challenges, the strains on our health muscles and slow global economic movement, we remained resolute and showed our strength in unison.
As we journey through the new year, I would like to reassure that we will remain committed to our overall responsibility of ensuring that quality, appropriate, cost effective and timely health services are available to every Cross Riverian, both indigenes and residents alike. We will continue to concern ourselves with the formulation and implementation of policies related to health with an overall goal of achieving universal health coverage
Being a Ministry that houses an array of Boards and Agencies, including the Cross River State Health Insurance Scheme (CRSHIS) christened AYADECARE, whose mandate is ensuring Cross Riverians get the same level of Health Care, which ultimately leads to a healthier workforce and longer life expectancy. Furthermore working through the Cross River State COVID-19 Task Force and the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 we will continue to ensure that our endeavours remain consistent with global best practises of healthcare delivery targeted at overcoming the pandemic. We expand on already existing strategies and structures to grow and further strengthen our healthcare system across the State.
Let me use this opportunity to harp on the need for all and sundry to have health Insurance as a safety net because whilst it makes it easier for an enrollee to access routine and preventive health care, it provides an insurance plan helping that enrollee navigate the confusion of medical billing, high out of pocket expenditure that may be catastrophic.
The last two years have seen our health system being pushed to the limits by the deadly coronavirus pandemic which has metamorphosed into several variants over time. I want to encourage us all to keep giving our best to prevention testing and vaccination and while remaining relentless in our support for Governor Ben Ayade’s industrialization drive upholding our spirit of enterprise.
Here’s to a New Year filled with glad tidings, sound mind and good health.
Dr. Betta Edu.
Commissioner for Health
Cross River State