The Cross River State Government has taken another significant step towards strengthening primary healthcare delivery with the commencement of the domestication of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) 2.0, aimed at enhancing accountability, improving service delivery and expanding access to quality healthcare across the state’s 18 local government areas.
The one-day State-Level Domestication Capacity Building Training, organised by the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency (CRSPHCDA) in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), was held on Thursday, July 30, 2026, at Michelle Suites, Calabar.
The strategic engagement brought together key health sector leaders, including the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk; the Director General of CRSPHCDA, Dr. Vivien Mesembe Otu; the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Ekpo Ekpo Bassey; the Special Adviser to the Governor on Nursing, Dr. Coco-Bassey; development partners and other critical stakeholders to review implementation frameworks and strengthen the rollout of the expanded BHCPF guidelines in the state.
Declaring the training open, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Ayuk, described the domestication of BHCPF 2.0 as a critical milestone in the state’s ongoing health sector reforms, stressing that prudent planning, financial accountability and effective implementation remain central to delivering quality healthcare at the grassroots.
He said the State Government was committed to ensuring that every resource provided under the BHCPF framework translates into measurable improvements in primary healthcare services.
“We must ensure that every resource under the BHCPF framework is judiciously utilised. Proper planning, transparent financial management and effective execution are essential to keeping our primary healthcare system efficient while eliminating leakages, improving accountability and expanding access to quality healthcare for vulnerable populations across the state,” Ayuk said.
He added that Governor Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu’s administration remains focused on building a resilient and sustainable primary healthcare system through stronger institutional coordination, empowered facility management and strict adherence to operational standards.
In her presentation, the Director General of CRSPHCDA, Dr. Vivien Mesembe Otu, said the capacity-building workshop was designed to equip health managers and implementing partners with the knowledge and tools required for the seamless domestication of BHCPF 2.0 in Cross River State.
She explained that the revised framework places greater emphasis on performance management, transparency, efficient resource utilisation and collaboration among implementing agencies to improve service delivery at primary healthcare facilities.
“Our focus is on strengthening performance tracking, consolidating the gains we have made and deepening collaboration among stakeholders to ensure compliance with operational guidelines, optimise resource allocation and close existing service gaps. By aligning our implementation strategies with the revised federal framework, we are building a transparent, responsive and data-driven primary healthcare system that advances universal health coverage,” she said.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Ekpo Ekpo Bassey, highlighted the importance of policy continuity, legislative support and community participation in sustaining reforms within the primary healthcare sector.
He noted that achieving universal health coverage requires strong institutional coordination and active engagement of communities to ensure that health interventions deliver the desired impact at the grassroots.
The Special Assistant to the Governor on Nursing, Dr. Coco-Bassey Esu, charged frontline health workers to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, clinical ethics and compassionate service delivery, noting that quality patient care remains the foundation of successful primary healthcare reforms.
He said the effective implementation of BHCPF 2.0 would depend largely on the commitment, discipline and dedication of healthcare workers to delivering efficient and people-centred services across primary healthcare facilities.
The capacity-building training forms part of ongoing efforts by the Cross River State Government and its partners to strengthen primary healthcare governance, improve financial accountability and accelerate progress towards universal health coverage through the effective implementation of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund 2.0.
By Kingsley Agim
