The Lumine News

Tag: #USAID

  • Centre For Clinical Care And Clinical Research Confers Child Rights Ambassador On Linda Ayade

    Centre For Clinical Care And Clinical Research Confers Child Rights Ambassador On Linda Ayade

    By Elijah Ugani

    The Center for Clinical Care and Clinical Research (CCCRN), has conferred Child Right Ambassador on the wife of the Cross River State Governor, Dr Linda Ayade, in recognition of her commitment to the welfare and development of children in Cross River State, during the official launch of the Integrated Child Health and Social Services Award (ICHSSA), LOT 1 project, phase 2 cash transfer to 250 project beneficiaries.

    The project is supported by the Cross River State Government and funded by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief through the U.S. Agency for International Development, implemented by CCCRN, in partnership with Catholic Relief Services (CRS), alongside other local Community-Based Organizations in Cross River state.

    Delivering the keynote address, Dr Linda Ayade thanked CCCRN for the official Launch of the Phase 2 Cash Transfer to 250 beneficiaries worth forty million Naira, and for the opportunity to further dialogue on issues affecting children and how best to provide and sustain the impact on Orphans and Vulnerable Children OVC.

    Ayade maintained that she shares the same plight and commitment through her various projects and initiatives in the state, addressing the needs of children to ensure greater future for them while supporting and advocating for the realization of Sustainable Development Goals, through one of her pet projects, Mediatrix Development Foundation.

    Ayade averred that “I fill fulfilled discussing and sustaining opportunities that will improve the lives of children and other vulnerable population in the state. This can only be achieved, if we work in collaboration with other stakeholders. Let me use this opportunity to call on stakeholders to play their roles, no matter how misunderstood they may be, they should be ready to pay the price, not about just giving money, but to give their time and together they can make a change”

    She acknowledged the commitment of all arms of government, from local government to the state especially the host Ministries, Departments and Agencies that are saddled with the responsibilities of providing partners with strategic direction and coordination in line with the Governor’s agenda.

    She commended the efforts of the American people through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for providing funds and support to the Center for Clinical Care and Clinical Research (CCCRN) to cater for the needs of vulnerable children and their caregivers in Cross River State.

    Ayade stated that “despite the successes recorded, AIDS-related illnesses are still among the leading causes of infant mortality among children living with HIV. Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission (PMTCT) programmes needs to be given priority attention and coverage, including access to early infant diagnosis after birth and during breastfeeding.

    “As a priority, greater investment and commitment is required from Government and stakeholders to ensure optimum care, dignity, and safety of the vulnerable children and their families. Let me call on partners, the public, private and community sectors to support government in the stride to make lives better for children in Cross River State”

    Speaking earlier, the Chief of Party, Dr. Peter Adekoya welcomed participants to the official launch of the second phase of the Center for Clinical Care and Clinical Research (CCCRN), Integrated Child Health and Social Services Award (ICHSSA1), LOT 1 project cash transfer to 250 beneficiaries from 15 LGAs in Cross River State, and the launch of the OVC case dialogue.

    Adekoya maintained that, the cash transfer initiative was aimed at cushioning the effect of the economic difficulties faced by the beneficiaries household which has been aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic while the OVC cased investment dialogue is to deepen discussion on sustaining the gains of the project in the state.

    He stated that the project’s goal is to ensure that Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) are cared for and protected by their households, communities, local and state governments, to achieve a reduction in their vulnerability to HIV.
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    He stated that the the Integrated Child Health and Social Services is a 5-Year Project funded by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS, through the U.S. Agency for International Development USAID, and is to last from December 19, 2019 to December 18, 2024.

    “The project is been implemented by CCCRN in partnership with Catholic Relief Services (CRS), alongside other local Community-Based Organizations in Cross River states”, he added.

    On their part, the house Committee Chairman on Health of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Dr. Ekpe Ekpo Bassey, and the Commissioner, Ministry of International Development Cooperation, Dr Inyang Asibong, took turns to eulogize USAID for the unwavering support to the state government.

    The event was attended by Local Government Chairmen, led by the Chairman of Yakurr LGC, and those of Calabar South, Odukpani, Biase, Ogoja, and Bakassi LGAs.

    Highlight of the event was the decoration of the wife of the Governor, Dr Linda Ayade, as Child Right Ambassador by the Chief of Party, Dr Peter Adekoya, unveiling of the phase 2 project by Dr Linda Ayade, as well as presentation of success stories and testimonials.

  • USAID Funded Organization Partners C’River To Scale Up Advocacy On Orphans And Vulnerable Children

    USAID Funded Organization Partners C’River To Scale Up Advocacy On Orphans And Vulnerable Children

    By Admin

    The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded project under the Centre for Clinical Care and Clinical Research (CCCRN) has expressed it’s readiness to partner with the Cross River State Government through its Ministry of International Development Cooperation (MIDC) to scale up care and protection for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC). This also includes children living with HIV, infants and lactating/ pregnant mothers exposed to HIV.

    Speaking during the meeting, the State Program Manager, Mrs. Grace Essien asserted that the CCCRN is an indigenous, non-profit organization with a mandate to promote global best practices in health care delivery, medical training and research using locally adopted models of system strengthening.

    She further explained that the CCCRN is a recipient of the integrated Child Health and Social Service Award (ICHSSA) funded by USAID to ensure Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) are catered to and given adequate protections by their households and host communities.

    In her response, the MIDC Commissioner, Dr. Inyang Asibong, acknowledged the CCCRN leadership for the initiative, whilst stressing on the need to scale down to Etung, Bekwarra and Obanliku as the only 3 LGAs yet to be captured, as it is in tandem with His Excellency, Sen. (Prof.) Ben Ayade’s vision to ensure an improved livelihood for the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) across the State.

    She added that the initiative will provide an increased access to high quality and comprehensive medical services with capacity building of families and communities living in target communities to cater to and protect the children in their care.

    The MIDC Permanent Secretary, Mr. Timothy Ogbang Akwaji assured CCCRN of a continuous partnership and intermittent technical interfaces especially around policy formulation.

    The initiative currently runs across 15 LGAs of the State including; Calabar Municipality, Calabar South, Odukpani, Akpabuyo, Bakassi, Biase, Abi, Yakurr, Obubura, Ikom, ogoja, Boki, Yala, Obudu and Akamkpa.

  • U.S Government Commissions Upgraded Cross River State Emergency Operation Center for COVID-19, Commends Cross River State

    U.S Government Commissions Upgraded Cross River State Emergency Operation Center for COVID-19, Commends Cross River State

    By Admin

    The United State Government on Tuesday through her Ambassador Mary Beth Leonard joined the cross river state Governor, Sir Ben Ayade to virtually commission an upgraded Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for Cross River State, which has been equipped with support of the American people to track and control the spread of the deadly COVID-19.

    Cross River is the first of the nine states to receive the EOC upgrade. The commissioned EOC comes with a new call center. The EOC is coordinating the Statewide public health response to the COVID-19 outbreak and other diseases of public health concerns.

    Commissioning the Centre virtually, United State Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard commended the state government on several measures been instituted to curtail the spread of the disease and protect the health of Cross Riverians.

    She said the upgraded centers are now equipped as operational digital situation and communication rooms that powers and coordinate the state COVID response and other disease outbreaks, utilizing data integration, warehousing, and visualization to provide state officials transparent and real-time information on COVID-19.

    Her words “With the commissioning of these EOCs, Nigeria can better coordinate the COVID-19 outbreak response and surveillance activities, as well as any other emergent disease outbreaks or disasters, which will help to turn the tide of the pandemic within their state, ultimately the nation, and flatten the COVID-19 curve.”

    Speaking virtual from the Governor’s Office in Calabar, Cross River State Deputy Governor, Prof Ivara Ejemot Esu said “Though Cross River continues to have no documented cases, we need to be on our guard to do even more to ensure the COVID-19 pandemic is brought to a speedy end or controlled to the best of our ability in Nigeria.

    “We want seize this opportunity to continually invite USAID to come to cross river and strengthen our health system. We really appreciate this support”.

    The DG NCDC Dr Chikwe Ihekwazu, thanked The US Government for the support and pledged continued support to Cross River state who he said must be at the drivers seat and take full responsibility for the health of its people. He commended the state and asked for sustainability of the Upgraded EOC.

    On her part, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Betta Edu who was Physically present at the EOC, thanked the US government for the support, and held that the state is working closely with NCDC through the deployment of national Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) to support response activities in the state.

    Edu maintained that the EOC has a situation room and a call centre where staff are on 24 hours standby to receive calls from the public and track data/ information on COVID19.

    She thanked the US Government for their intervention stating that Cross River State will appreciate more support to strengthen the health system to address not just COVID-19 but any other outbreak in future.

    Edu stated that “the emergency operations center will serve as a central point of contact for public health activities and data collection including tracking of suspected cases in a consistent manner with up-to-date information shared among federal, state and local partners as well as with the public”

    Dr. Douglas Chukwu, Cross River State team lead for USAID partner Jhpiego, conducted a virtual tour of the new Emergency Operations Center for U.S. Ambassador Mary Beth Leonard and Cross River Deputy Governor Ivara Esu, DG NCDC and the Commissioner for Health.