Edu, CRSPHCDA staff & AFRUD representatives
Charles Ekanem|20 October 2016
DG CRSPHCDA DR BETTA EDU CALLS ON CSOs TO SUPPORT PROMPT IMPLEMENTATION OF PHC UNDER ONE ROOF
Action For Rural Development (AFRUD) civil society group yesterday visited Director General of Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency to seek partnership and advocate for the operationalization of PHCHOR. Speaking, the leader of the delegation, Deacon Gregory Anam said their major concern was the immediate implementation of State Health Insurance Scheme and the movement of PHC staff from LGC to the agency . He said the organization is a network of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) for primary health care under one roof. Deacon Anam went further to said they had commenced the process of seeking partnership with relevant CSOs in an effort to advocate for the operationalization of Primary Healthcare Under One Roof. "We are hoping that healthcare workers in the LGAs be moved to the agency for proper monitoring and supervision. We are willing to agitate for it as we plan to hold meetings with selected health stakeholders across the state were we will enlighten respective LGA officers on the need for LGAs healthcare workers to be move to agency said Gregory Anam.
Responding, the DG, Dr Betta Edu said it was very vital for the civil society organizations to support the process started by our proactive prohealth Governor, Sen. BEN AYADE. She noted that in six months the governor has accomplished a lot under the PHC under one roof policy, even as it concerns the movement of PHC workers in the LGAs to agency. She said the process for the creation of Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency started immediately after her assumption of office as Special Adviser which the state Governor, House of Assembly played a big role in passage of the bill into Law.
"We also received technical support from the former Executive Director of National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Ado Mohammed who sent out a technical support team to Cross River State to support the implementation of the bill said the DG".
She went further to list out progress attained by the Agency in less than 6 months such as employing medical doctors to run PHCs in 18 LGAs, rehabilitation of PHCs under the one functional PHC per ward policy of the state, Appointment of Board members to oversee the running of the Agency in accordance to the law and renovation has began at the site given by state Government for relocation of the Agency Office which forms part of the criteria of NPHCDA scorecard which CRS perform badly at the last rating in 2015. She hope with these progress CRS will soar high.
On challenges recorded, the DG said insufficient Manpower in the PHC was worrisome, poor monitoring and supervision due to the non movement of PHC staff to the Agency as the State Governor Senator ( Prof) Ben Ayade is in support of the movement of PHC Workers to the agency. Finally she informed AFRUD of Her Excellency, Wife of the Governor, Dr Mrs Linda Ayade passionate drive for healthcare delivery to her people through her foundation which have introduce several health intervention in rural areas and secondary schools calling on CSO to support her.
Dr Iwara Iwara, Program Manager Roll Back Malaria added his voice by calling for the CSOs support in movement of PHCs workers from LGAs to CRSPHCDA. He said it was proper for the organization to come in and advocate as the movement will enable the agency dictate manpower gap to be filled.
Present at the meeting were M & E Officer, Mr Edward Aleje, Mrs Rose Obo, AFRUD Secretary and Mr Felix Ukam.
Charles Ekanem
Writes from Calabar
