The Cross River State Government is establishing dedicated health facilities across all 18 local government areas to provide free and accessible care specifically for the elderly, children under five, and pregnant women.
State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Ayuk, disclosed this during an interview with reporters in Calabar on Sunday.
Ayuk revealed that four of the designated facilities are already operational, with ongoing efforts to roll out the remaining centres statewide.
“The designated health facilities target people who cannot afford services and aim to make healthcare accessible to vulnerable groups,” he said.
“Services in these facilities will be free for the elderly above 70 years, children under five, and pregnant women.”
The commissioner explained that the initiative is designed to advance universal health coverage and deliver the dividends of democracy under Governor Bassey Otu’s “People First” agenda.
He noted that several policies introduced by the current administration have placed the state’s health sector on a steady growth trajectory.
Ayuk highlighted Cross River’s strong performance in immunisation coverage, achieving approximately 75 per cent success rate and ranking among the best-performing states.
“There are several other health interventions that have improved significantly, particularly in family planning,” he said.
“In family planning, we have recorded a surge, with more people now covered by the programme.”
He added that maternal and child health outcomes have also improved markedly, with cases of obstetric haemorrhage (severe postpartum bleeding) significantly reduced.
“In the past, women sometimes died after childbirth due to severe bleeding, but such incidents have reduced considerably,” Ayuk stated.
The commissioner further noted a substantial decline in child stunting linked to poor nutrition.
“When we came on board, stunting among children was high due to poor nutrition, but the situation has improved greatly,” he said.
Ayuk concluded by announcing reforms in the procurement of essential medicines to prevent the circulation of fake and substandard drugs in the state.
The targeted facilities represent a key component of the Otu administration’s strategy to prioritise vulnerable populations, reduce preventable deaths, and strengthen primary healthcare delivery across rural and urban communities in Cross River.
