The Director General, Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Janet Ekpenyong has charged staff of the agency to maintain high level of professionalism and job ethics while attending to patients in their various health facilities.
Dr Ekpenyong noted that it has become imperative for health workers to remain vigilant while on duty especially going by the rapid spread of the covid19 virus across the Nation.
The DG made the charge in Anantigha, Calabar South Local Government Area while addressing health workers during their monthly review meeting of all Primary Healthcare services in the state, and charged them to improve their services and also take their health and wellbeing Paramount as they engage in their routine tasks.
Dr Ekpenyong maintained that as health workers, they must remain vigilant at all times and well kitted both before, during and after attending to patients irrespective of what physical symptoms that may be presented for medical examination.
She said with People sneaking into the state through various route irrespective of the governor Ayade’s effort in checkmating the influx of people from other states by deploying huge human and material resources , health workers must begin to have a behavioural change when attending to patients as she stressed that the life of each health worker remains most important to her and the state government.
“As health workers, you are at the front line in any health emergency situation and the first to be hit with an outbreak if you don’t go about your duties with all sense of professionalism.
“Currently, Cross River State is Covid-19 free because of God and the great efforts made by our Governor Senator Professor Ben Ayade in taking a proactive approach towards ensuring that our state remains Covid-19 free, but if eventually there’s a case in our state, the Primary Health sector may be the first casualties because we are the most closest to the grassroots and since Covid-19 presents symptoms like every other diseases, except we are prepared and kitted up as professionals, we may end up being infected as well.
“As it is currently there is a policy that everyone visiting our facilities must wash their hands before entry, but before they enter, whoever is not wearing a nose mask or covering their nose with handkerchief should not be allowed into the facility because right now, everyone is a suspect”.
On her part, the Director, Local Government Health Authority for Calabar South, Mrs Eme Archibong thanked the DG for her unrelenting efforts in fixing the Primary Healthcare Agency and attending to staff and facilities needs with all commitments and prompt responds when need arises.
She assured her and the state of effective service delivery with all forms of professionalism in offering quality services to the people as she also urged heads of various wards to step up their sensitization drive on both Covid-19 and other infectious diseases.
