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Tag: #Janet Ekpenyong

  • Betta Edu Inuagurates Program Coordinators In The Ministry Of Humanitarian Affairs

    Betta Edu Inuagurates Program Coordinators In The Ministry Of Humanitarian Affairs

     

    The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu had sworn in Unit Heads and cluster Executives under her ministry to help redeem the dignity of zero and low income earners across the country.

    In a much historic event held at the Conference Room of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr Edu urged the new heads to kick start their duties immediately with optimism, transparency and total dedication.

    She noted that, with over 75 million Nigerians living below the poverty index, the President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope initiative is set to create a lasting to issues of Malnutrition among young school and out of school children Internally displacement people, Youth and unemployed adults.

    She urged them to work harmoniously with other affiliate members to bring succor to the lives of the poor by regularly positioning themselves in the field for proper and immediate contact with the targeted population .

    Among those inaugurated are the National Head of Office, National Conditional Cash Transfer, Dr Michael Ajuluchuku, Deputy Head of Office/Deputy National Coordinator
    Dr Janet Ekpenyong, a seasoned Medical Doctor , health Financing specialist, experienced programme manager and a Philanthropist from Cross River State. Also inaugurated are Engr Mrs Anjor Obandi (Home Grown school feeding program), Mr Richard Romanus( YESSO Project), Dr Echeri Ansa (Renewed Hope Initiative for out of school children) amongst others.

  • Janet Ekpenyong Charges Christians To Emulate The Sacrificial And Exemplary Life Of Jesus As We Celebrate Easter

    Janet Ekpenyong Charges Christians To Emulate The Sacrificial And Exemplary Life Of Jesus As We Celebrate Easter

    Dr Ekpenyong Greets Christians On Easter Celebration, Calls for Ultimate Sacrifice at all times

    Cross River State Commissioner for Health, Dr Janet Ekpenyong has called on Christians to at all times practice selflessness and practical sacrificial living in order to actualize desired growth and development in the state .

    Dr Ekpenyong in an easter message charged christians to emulate the sacrificial and exemplary lifestyle of Jesus in order to promote ethical growth and development especially at a moment like this where many are still yet to heal from the last general elections.

    she noted that contributory enhancement and unity of the people will promote an effectual living and worthy state of affairs in the state which will guarantee fairness, equity and progress in the state.

    she asked all to jointly pray for the success of the present administration and that of the incoming one as she noted that we only have one state which we can be proud off, laying a foundation for the next generation to benefit from.

    “Cross river state is blessed with all categories of experts with diversed specialization in the health, environmental, social and scientific background, as a state we can achieve all we wish to if only we lay aside tribal, political and sectoral differences .
    If we all can let go of our differences and make tangible sacrifices just as the one Jesus made on the cross, we will be having the most resourceful time of our nations history.

    As we celebrate, I encourage all to do that with all sense of causiousness, eat and celebrate healthily and continue to promote quality health care for all.

    We are aware of various diseases that are common in this period, I want to call on all to also help and be their brothers keepers in referring health emergencies to appropriate facilities and seeking first hand health services in Government approved facilities.

    Once again, Happy Easter to all

  • C’River Health Commissioner, Charges Medical Supritendents To Focus On Delivering Effective Heath Care

    C’River Health Commissioner, Charges Medical Supritendents To Focus On Delivering Effective Heath Care

    By Ukongikwen Adie

    The Cross River State Commissioner for Health, Dr Janet David Ekpenyong, has charged Medical Supritendents In the state owned hospitals to focus on delivering effective health care to the citizenry despite the challenges of shortage of manpower in the health sector.

    Dr Ekpenyong gave the charge during a review meeting and progress report on their performance for the year 2021/2022 with all Medical Supritendents of general and cottage hospitals in the state, held in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

    In her words, “I want to acknowledge your efforts in your various hospitals despite the many challenges you are faced with.

    “Despite these seemingly challenges, I charge you to do everything humanly possible to improve and focus on giving your clients quality health care from the moment they walk into the hospital.

    “While waiting for government interventions, you have to make judicious use of your imprest to enhance facilities in your various hospitals”.

    Ekpenyong further emphasized the need for the hospital administrators to improve on their revenue generation especially for hospitals that are primary health care facilities.

    She assured of further interface with the Medical Supritendents to proffer solutions to their challenges.

    Ekpenyong added that “With His Excellency, Sen Ben Ayade’s approval, more hands would be brought in at all levels to ensure quality health care delivery in the state”.

    Earlier, the Medical Supritendents in the state owned hospitals, took turns to presented their reports, in the following order; Medical Superintendents of General Hospital Calabar, Lawrence Henshaw Memorial Hospital Calabar South, Eja Memorial Hospital Itigidi, General Hospitals Ogoja, Obubra, Akampka and Okpoma, Cottage hospital Akpet Central and the Eyecare Programme in School of Health Technology, Calabar.

    Principal among the complains brought by the Medical Superintendents were: acute shortage of manpower, inadequate facilities, encroachment on hospital land, security and inadequate power supply amongst others as some of the challenges affecting their effective delivery.

    They called on the government to employ more hands as they are currently grossly understaffed and as a result, health care delivery services are affected.

  • C’River Flags off Training Workshop On Integrated Service Delivery, As State Benefit From Global Fund RSSH Project

    C’River Flags off Training Workshop On Integrated Service Delivery, As State Benefit From Global Fund RSSH Project

    By Simon Ushie

    Enabling Resource allocation matched with competent manpower is said to guarantee efficiency and productivity especially in the health sector, an analogy that calls for effective partnership between states, the Federal Government and well endowed partners as Nigeria seek to attain Universal Health Coverage status in the nearest future.

    Among these decisive moves is the collaboration between the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency and the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency to train health workers in the advance management of Reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child , adolescent, elderly Health and nutrition program across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.

    Flagging off the training exercise in Calabar on behalf of His Excellency, the Governor of Cross River State, Senator Professor Ben Ayade, the Director General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Janet Ekpenyong encouraged the participants to remain committed and focused to the course of learning in order to be abreast with the new development.

    She said the essence of the training was to build capacity of health workers to ensure quality service delivery. She said as Federal Government and state government work hand in hand to bridge the gap of limited human resource through the basic health care programme and employment into service respectively, it is pertinent that health workers are trained and retrained to ensure optimal service delivery which will encourage patronage in their facilities to complement efforts of the Community health influencers and Promoters (CHIPS) agents who will be engaged in influencing and mobilizing people to patronize facilities.

    She highlighted some of the challenges faced in the primary health sector which requires urgent attention to include the high rate of maternal and child mortality, inadequate human resources and adoption of modern Health techniques which she said the training is set to address.

    She appreciated Global fund and NPHCDA for choosing Cross River State among the first 3 states in the federation for the pilot phase of the high impact Resilient Sustainable System for health(RSSH) project which will help tackle lapses in the Primary Healthcare facilities especially in the rural areas.

    Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Cross River State Ministry of Health, Dr Iwara Iwara lauded Global fund for the support and for choosing Cross River State to ne one of the beneficiaries while also charging the participants to take the training serious and help support the state to mitigate the high rate of maternal and infant mortality by ensuring to disseminate appropriate information to health workers at the various facilities and reiterated Cross River State Government’s commitment to ensure only qualified health personnel will be absorbed into the service.

    The Integrated service delivery focal person from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Musa said the NPHCDA is one of the subrecipient of the global fund project and one of the major benefits of the project is to train health workers to provide quality integrated health services to clients to ensure we reduce cases of low patronage of health facilities as well as mortality of mother and child.

    The Program which is sponsored by the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency through the support of the Global Funds Resilient Sustainable System for health will facilitate the high impact advance knowledge, train and produce at least 40 state level trainers on integrated sercice delivery to serve the state

    It will further build the capacity of at least 150 PHC service providers on the ward minimum Healthcare package using the integrated training documents developed to suit Cross River’s work pattern, program management, sensitization and mobilization for high impact program scheme.

    The training was facilitated by well knowledgeable instructors who have designed different frame works for the advancement of Primary Healthcare activities in the country and participants are to disseminate same knowledge at ward, Community and facility level.

    Also present at the event were, Mr Julius Idoko of NPHCDA, Comrade Bassey, Chairman community health workers union, representative of the chairman of National Association of Nurses and Midwives, the Director Community and family health, Mrs Sally Enyim, the state social mobilization Officer, Mrs Nsa Ekpenyong amongst others.

  • Ekpenyong Celebrates Salah With Muslim Community, Advocates For Continuous Uptake Of Health Services And Prioritization Of the Girl Child

    Ekpenyong Celebrates Salah With Muslim Community, Advocates For Continuous Uptake Of Health Services And Prioritization Of the Girl Child

     

    In ensuring inclusiveness, quality health and socio-economic advancements, the Cross River State Government have reached out to the Muslims in Nassarawa Community in Calabar Municipal Area Council to provide medical, food and other essential materials to residents of the area.

    Director General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Janet Ekpenyong who led the team and accompanied by some staff of the State’s Primary Healthcare Development Agency said, it was part of the Salah religious celebration and a way of promoting cultural and religious tolerance in the state.

    Addressing the beneficiaries who were in their Hundreds, Dr Ekpenyong appreciated them for always advancing the state government’s health policies by granting access to health workers into their communities during health outreaches.

    She said, such tolerance and acceptability has over the years, contributed to Cross River’s impressive performance in national health interventions targeted at children, women and the vulnerable especially.

    While also speaking in commemoration of the day of the girl child, the DG encouraged them to ensure their daughters have same privileges given to their male children and they should not be deprived of their rights to education and quality health care.
    She informed them that the wife ot the Governor, Dr Linda Ayade Is committed to promoting and providing opportunities for women to thrive, because when a girl child is empowered , the whole community gets empowered.

    She thanked the leaders of the community and their religious heads for always keying into the advocacy and plans of the Senator Ben Ayade’s Government towards total eradication of Vaccine preventable Diseases in the state.

    She further called for the complete neglect of old barbaric practices like the patronage of Traditional Birth Attendance in the community and patronage of quacks and unqualified health workers which she said is top among factors contributing to high mortality rate in the state.

    In her response, One of the Community leaders, Mrs Amina Muhammed appreciated the Director General for finding out time to always associate with them and practically advance healthcare interventions in the Nasarawa community which is predominately occupied by the Hausa-Fulani ethnic group.

    She promised to further mobilize her people to continually patronize the available health facility which she said, meets required standard while applauding the efforts of the health workers posted to the area.

    Top of the activities were the distribution of welfare materials, provision of health services including covid-19 vaccination and sensitization of the people on some basic health care needs.

    Among the team who accompanied the DG were Mrs Felicitas Boco, who encouraged the women to always patronize the facility, Mrs Blessing Omachi , Mrs Bassey Henshaw amongst others.

  • Dr Janet Ekpenyong Emerges Vice Chairman, Forum of Executive Secreties/CEOs Of State Primary Healthcare Agencies/Boards In Nigeria

    Dr Janet Ekpenyong Emerges Vice Chairman, Forum of Executive Secreties/CEOs Of State Primary Healthcare Agencies/Boards In Nigeria

     

    The Director General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency,
    Dr Janet Ekpenyong has emerged as the vice chairman of the forum of Executive Secretaries/Chief Executive Officers of State Primary Healthcare Development Agency and boards of the 36 states of the Federation.

    Dr Ekpenyong who was unanimously voted for at the ongoing stakeholders meeting and policy framework implementation meeting in Abuja the nation’s capital is said to have been considered due to her leadership style and the sterling performance of her state on Primary and Community Health initiatives .

    Recalled that the Cross River State Governor, Senator Ben Ayade had in early 2020 appointed Dr Janet Ekpenyong to oversee the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency after her selfless contributory services as Technical expert, consultant and member of various committees for the actualization of the nation’s “Universal Health Coverage” status.

    In the past years in Office, Dr Janet Ekpenyong has been able to ensure implementation of health policies that is transforming the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency and Cross River State Health landscape into one of the most realistic enterprise in the Ayade’s administration, attracting tens of supports/collaborations from local , national and international organizations especially on child and maternal healthcare.

    Within this period of her selfless service to the state, Cross River State has been recognized on national and global stages with honours among which is the latest award as the best and most effective immunization compliant state in the South South region of Nigeria.

    It is during her tenure that the state joined other states of the federation in the certification of Nigeria as a “Poliomyelitis free Nation”, with many admiring and acknowledging her contributions at the national health sphere, and in “pushing” and joining health workers on Community outreaches , mobilization and sensitization of Cross Riverians on the dangers and effects of Poliomyelitis on this generation and the next.

    It is worthy of note that, the Cross River State Community engagement strategies has now found the nation’s admiration with many states seeking to adopt it’s methods of service delivery, this is manifested in the partnership it has enjoyed with many states and international organizations.

    In her acceptance speech, Dr Ekpenyong thanked her colleagues for finding her worthy to represent them and for the confidence bestowed on her as she promised to work harmoniously with the team to bridge the numerous gaps suffered by the Primary Healthcare Agencies across the country.

    She urged her colleagues to continue to mobilize resources for the Health sector and seek more collaborations in order to help curtail deaths especially for illnesses that are preventable.

  • House Committee on Health Commends PHC Boss, Pledges Support To Strengthen State Health System

    House Committee on Health Commends PHC Boss, Pledges Support To Strengthen State Health System

     

    The Director General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Janet Ekpenyong has been commended for her hardwork in the health sector by the Chairman House Committee on Health, Hon Dr Davies Etta, while seeking to collaborate with the Agency to enhance the quality of healthcare services in the state through the formation of policies and laws to meet globally competing and acceptable values.

    The Chairman, Hon Dr Etta made the disclosure during a familiarisation visit to the Agency in Calabar to intimate the DG and her team of the new Committee members and the preparedness of the House to enhance legislation which will complement the efforts of the executives .

    According to Dr Etta, the move will further help in salvaging some challenges faced in the state such as allocation and releases of budgets to the sector, turn out of eligible children during routine immunization, employment of health workers to mitigate the existing gap, intimidation of health workers among others.

    In her response, DG, CRSPHCDA, Dr Janet Ekpenyong appreciated the house for their partnership with the executive which has further framed the state and remodelled it’s approaches in recent years.

    She said, the harmonious relationship being envisaged will ascertain the pole position being held by the state on all health implementablepolicies of state, national and global policies geared towards a healthy society.

    Dr Ekpenyong urged the House to help in facilitating the enactment of the Immunization bill which will compel parents and schools to compulsorily present immunization cards before Ward’s admission into schools.

    She said the move will help in reaching the optimal immunization target per LGA and state’s routine target which has remained a challenge in some local government areas in the state.
    She also appealed for their support to fastrack the ascent of the bill on the regulation of Traditional birth attendant (TBA) activities as well as other bills that will further strengthen the Agency.
    Also speaking, the permanent secretary of the Agency thanked the chairman and other committee members, while also appealing for a further review of the law of the Agency.
    Also in the entourage was the member representing Akpabuyo constituency, Dr Ekeng Edet , the secretary of the committee, Mr Kingsley and others.

  • Governors Ben Ayade, Ganduje, Sule, And Others Honoured As Nigeria Mark Africa Immunization Week

    Governors Ben Ayade, Ganduje, Sule, And Others Honoured As Nigeria Mark Africa Immunization Week

     

    Cross River State Grovernor, Ben Ayade, has been honoured along side other Governors as Cross River State is said to be one of the top performing states in the Nation for distinguishing themselves and recording improved scorecards in all vaccination actives as well as setting standards in the operations of Primary Healthcare Activities in the country.

    This is part of the week long activities to mark the 2022 Africa Immunization Week organized by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency in collaboration with health care partners to encourage states meet their immunization benchmark in all Local Government Areas.

    Speaking after the presentation of the awards, His Excellency Sen Prof Ben Ayade, the Executive Governor of Cross River State, represented by the National Women Leader of the All Progressive Congress, Dr Betta Edu said it was a thing of honour to distinguish Cross River State from every other states in the South South region , noting that, the state has always been a formidable force to be reckoned with in Primary and Secondary health care service delivery since the early days of the Senator Ben Ayade’s administration.

    She congratulated and appreciated the Governor for always prioritizing health and for all the investment and innovations which are yield results.

    She thanked the Federal Government for its supports and contributions to the evolving health status of the country, noting that, in the nearest future, Nigeria will become the leading health providing nation in Africa and major player in the global health policy framework.

    She praised the Director General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Janet Ekpenyong and the entire health team , for always being result oriented.

    In her response, Director General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Janet Ekpenyong accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Health, Dr Iwara Iwara and the Director of Immunization Services, Mrs Joy Chabo expressed their appreciation for the honour as she appreciated His Excellency, Governor Ben Ayade and his dear wife, Dr Linda Ayade for their continued support to the health sector. She also appreciated the Deputy Governor, Professor Ivara Esu for leadership as the Chairman Task team on Immunization.

    The DG outlined the numerous parameters for the success attained and how the state ascertained it’s top spot.

    She noted that the collective contributions of health workers in the state and their selfless disposition to duties are some of the cardinal factors which has driven immunization campaign messages to all regions irrespective of physical and environmental barriers in the state. She thanked them profusely for their sacrifice.

    She also noted and appreciated the contributions of religious and traditional leaders, cso, and stakeholders from all sectors who played a huge role to this success.

    She promised that the state will continue to do it’s best to ensure Nigeria’s certification of a vaccine compliant state eradicate vaccine preventable deaths in the country.

  • C’River Launches “SCALE 3.0” Strategy For Covid-19 Vaccination, Commence 3 Months Intensive Integrated Vaccination Campaign

    C’River Launches “SCALE 3.0” Strategy For Covid-19 Vaccination, Commence 3 Months Intensive Integrated Vaccination Campaign

     

    The Cross River State Government has flagged off an optimized vaccination scheme termed “SCALE 3.0” to address poor compliance of vaccination exercise as well as accelerate integrated service delivery across the state.

    In an event flagged off by the state Governor, Senator Ben Ayade in company of strategic health Implementing Partners in the state, recorded huge turn out of targeted population in a show of embrace to the deliberate health interventions over the years.

    The Governor, Professor, Ben Ayade who was represented by the Chairman, House Committee on Health, Hon. Dr. Ekpo Ekpo Bassey, in his Keynote address, noted that the SCALES 3.0 strategy will address the identified implementation gaps in SCALES 2.0 and bring about more accountability for performance, strengthen electronic data reporting and promote robust demand generation at the community levels.

    He further stated that the government has a responsibility to ensure that people are in good health and are not infected with COVID-19 as well as other diseases noting that the government has decided to maximize efforts to take vaccination closer to the people and meet their most challenging needs.

    In an earlier address, Director General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (CRSPHCDA), Dr. Janet Ekpenyong thanked all partners for their support and contributions to the vaccination drive in the state, adding that the SCALES 3.0 will operate more focused campaign with mobile and specialized teams taking vaccines to where people live, work and to the hard to reach areas across the state.

    She further mentioned that the services of the agency will not just be in the facilities, but ensures that healthcare3 services will be closer to the people with assured regular sensitization, awareness and outreaches to end preventable deaths.

    “Our services will not only be at the facility level, but we will ensure that we move services closer to the people. Our mobile teams will be moving from one place to the other to get many people especially those eligible to take the vaccine.
    We are also going to decentralize communication and ensure that people at the grassroots are mobilized. We will be working with all the strategic people, traditional leaders, religious leaders, and several other organizations that we can leverage to get many people vaccinated.”

    “We are hoping to achieve the 70% target before the end of the year and see how we can achieve herd immunity as soon as possible. This for us is an opportunity to improve vaccine coverage and ensure that as many people as possible should be vaccinated. Over 500,000 people have been vaccinated in the state, and we are hoping that we can hit the 2.2 million target before the end of 2022″.

    Ekpenyong also thanked Governor Ayade for his commitment to the health sector for ensuring that every Cross Riverian is protected against COVID-19, adding that the Johnson and Johnson vaccine as well as other brands are properly stored to maintain potency and viability.

    Similarly, the Executive Director, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, represented by Mrs. Ifeyinwa Onwudinjo in his remarks, disclosed that only 3 states have vaccination coverage of over 50 percent thereby leaving 34 states performing sub-optimally in terms of COVID-19 vaccination coverage.

    According to him, “the SCALES 3.0 strategy will enable the Federal, State and Local Government to reach every eligible population in Nigeria with COVID-19 vaccine”.

    He also stressed that the SCALES 3.0 strategy will be anchored on an intensive 3 months campaign, performance-based incentives, optimized integrated package of services, decentralized and incentivized demand generation strategies, partner coordination and accountability, and state-specific context and strategies.

    Also speaking at the launch, Mrs. Joy Chabo, State Immunization Officer, CRSPHCDA, stated that the SCALES 3.0 would be using a human-centered demand generation design to address low COVID-19 perceptions in the state.

    She added that the strategy encourages more outreach where the vaccines will be taken to doorsteps, shops, markets, churches, schools, and every part of the state, regardless of the location.

    SCALES is an acronym for ‘service delivery, communication, accountability, logistics, electronic reporting, and supportive supervision’ for the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination.

    The launch had in attendance representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO), FHI360, Breakthrough ACTION-Nigeria, Heartland Alliance, kncv Tuberculosis, Foundation Nigeria, amongst others.

  • World Hepatitis Day: CRSG Partners SOGHIN And Lions Club To Mark Day With Street Awareness, Screening And Vaccination

    World Hepatitis Day: CRSG Partners SOGHIN And Lions Club To Mark Day With Street Awareness, Screening And Vaccination

    By Simon Ushie

    The Cross River State Government in collaboration with Society for Gastro Enterology and Hepatology in Nigeria and lions club International
    joined the global Community in marking this year’s, “World Hepatitis Day” across all 18 Local Government Areas of the state with street Awareness/road show
    Screening and Vaccination of citizens against the disease.

    In Calabar, the state capital, the procession was led by the Director General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Janet Ekpenyong who represented the wife of the state Governor, Dr Linda Ayade as she led the sensitization
    across adjoining streets in Calabar Municipal Council.

    Speaking to newsmen after the street awareness and campaign to enlighten the general populace of one of the World deadliest diseases, Dr Ekpenyong disclosed that, the prevalence of Hepatitis particularly Hepatitis Band C in the state,calls for intensified Sensitization and precautions in order to effectively manage it’s spread.

    She said, considering that the disease is highly infectious and a silent killer, it is important people have understanding of what Hepatitis is, it’s signs and symptoms as well as its mode of transmission which unprotected sexual activities, blood transfusion and sharing of sharp objects are the major means of getting infected with Hepatitis B and C virus.

    She noted that with this year’s theme : ” Bringing Hepatitis Care Closer to You”, the focus is now facility and community oriented as she promised that, the screening will now be done in as many facilities as possible to encourage people to voluntarily get themselves tested , vaccinated and treated as the case may be.

    ” We are encouraging all of our people to come and get tested for Hepatitis.
    The most common among us are the type B and C which affected over 70 million people in Africa in 2021 and over 20 million people in Nigeria according to the World Health Organization.
    With this year’s theme, ” Bringing Hepatitis Care Closer to You”, we are ensuring that, we get the necessary kits and attention to our various Healthcare centres within our respective Communities in order to encourage our people to voluntarily go into facilities for
    screening and Vaccination.
    We have mandated all of our personel to carry out screening for all pregnant women who come in for antenatal services just like the practice with HIV.
    For today’s activity, over 500 people will be screened and Vaccinated.
    We have also set up a special team to visit Boki Local Government Area which records the highest number of Hepatitis infection in the state, to ensure testing and Vaccination, we are ready to combat the virus and possibly put an end to Hepatitis related deaths”.
    However, we will appeal to federal government and international organizations to pay attention to Hepatitis by ensuring free access to testing as well as Vaccination, because currently, such services are not free.
    Also speaking, Dr Mbang Ada, a consultant Gastro Enterology and secretary of SOGHIN highlighted the common symptoms of the diseases ranging from fever, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, jaundice, weight loss etc. She also reiterated the need for pregnant women to be tested and those positive should ensure that their babies receive the special vaccine that will protect them against the disease. She also said SOGHIN is committed to supporting the state in ensuring that positive Hepatitis cases will be linked to where proper treatment will be instituted.
    She encouraged Cross Riverians not to wait for government, but should take the leap and get tested and vaccinated.

    On behalf of the Lions club International, Lion Olanikpekun also committed to supporting the state government create awareness and encourage people to get tested and vaccinated.

    The president of medical women association, Cross River State, Dr Vivian Otu and other exco members were present at the event.

    Also present were Directors from State Ministry of Health and the state Primary Healthcare Development Agency.

    Hepatitis virus is a highly infectious disease, there are 5 major types A,B,C,D and E. A and D are usually linked to transmission via fecal oral route, contaminated water etc, while the common ones B and C are
    found in blood and certain body fluids. It is spread when a person who is not immune comes in contact with blood or body fluids from an infected person with it’s common causes including unprotected sexual activities with infected persons, fluid and blood contacts among others.
    Covid-19 vaccination and condom distribution were also integrated in the services provided.