Cross River State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk, has described his recent Distinguished Service Award by the Cross River State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) as an objective recognition of the remarkable transformation taking place in the state’s health sector under the administration of Governor Bassey Edet Otu.
Dr. Ayuk, who dedicated the award to Governor Otu, said the honour was not a personal achievement but a testament to the administration’s deliberate investments and sweeping reforms that have repositioned healthcare delivery across the state.
“The Distinguished Service Award is not about me. It is an evidence-based professional assessment and a true verdict of the excellent work Governor Bassey Edet Otu is doing in the health sector. I dedicate this award to His Excellency because the achievements being recognised today are products of his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to healthcare,” the Commissioner stated.
He recalled that the present administration inherited a health sector plagued by years of neglect, including a 12-year employment embargo, budgetary allocation of less than five per cent and primary healthcare facilities that had become largely non-functional.
According to him, the administration has reversed the trend within three years through bold policy interventions and sustained investment in the sector.
“When Governor Otu assumed office, he met a fractured and decaying health system. Today, health sector allocation has increased to about 12 per cent of the state’s budget, over 2,000 health professionals have been recruited, more than 100 primary healthcare centres have been revitalised across the 18 local government areas, and the upgrade of public hospitals is already underway,” Ayuk said.
The Commissioner noted that every local government now has between four and five functional revitalised primary healthcare centres, while ongoing improvements in secondary healthcare facilities are expanding access to quality medical services for residents. To ensure these facilities had a well motivated workforce, the drew the attention of the recent creation of the hospital management board as well as recent approval by the governor to recruit 40 medical officers including consultants and the extension of retirement age of health care workers in the state
He reaffirmed the Ministry of Health’s commitment to consolidating the gains already recorded through stronger collaboration with development partners and continued implementation of reforms aimed at delivering efficient, accessible and people-centred healthcare across Cross River State.
By Kingsley Agim
