Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency

Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency official page of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, aimed at repositioning

CROSS RIVER STRENGTHENS PRIMARY HEALTHCARE AS BHCPF 2.0 DOMESTICATION BEGINS๐Ÿ“ Calabar |  โ€œUnder the Prince Otu led admin...
07/08/2026

CROSS RIVER STRENGTHENS PRIMARY HEALTHCARE AS BHCPF 2.0 DOMESTICATION BEGINS

๐Ÿ“ Calabar |

โ€œUnder the Prince Otu led administration, we have been able to record significant milestones in primary healthcare delivery, and the domestication of BHCPF 2.0 is yet another bold step toward a more efficient, transparent and people-centred health system for Cross River State,โ€ this was the message from stakeholders as the state officially began the domestication of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) 2.0, a move set to expand access to quality healthcare across all 18 local government areas.

The State-Level Domestication Capacity Building Training, convened by the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency (CRSPHCDA) in partnership with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), held Thursday, July 30, 2026, at Michelle Suites, Calabar. The one-day session drew top health sector leaders including Commissioner for Health Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk, Special Adviser to the Governor on Health Dr. Ekpo Ekpo Bassey, Special Adviser to the Governor on Nursing Dr. Coco-Bassey Esu, development partners and other stakeholders to review the expanded BHCPF guidelines and strengthen their rollout statewide.

Director General, CRSPHCDA, Dr. Vivien Mesembe Otu, said the workshop was designed to arm health managers and implementing partners with the tools needed for a seamless rollout of BHCPF 2.0 in the state. She noted that the revised framework places stronger emphasis on performance tracking, transparency and inter-agency collaboration, adding that aligning state strategy with the federal framework will help build a more data-driven path toward universal health coverage.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Ayuk, described the exercise as a milestone in the state's health reform journey, stressing that judicious use of BHCPF resources, transparent financial management and strong ex*****on are non-negotiable for closing service gaps and protecting vulnerable populations. He affirmed that the Prince Bassey Edet Otu administration remains committed to a resilient, sustainable primary healthcare system built on institutional coordination and strict operational standards.

Special Adviser on Health, Dr. Ekpo Ekpo Bassey, emphasized that sustaining these reforms will require policy continuity, legislative backing and active community participation underscoring that universal health coverage depends on strong institutions working hand-in-hand with the communities they serve.

Special Assistant on Nursing, Dr. Coco-Bassey Esu, charged frontline health workers to uphold professionalism, clinical ethics and compassionate care, noting that quality patient experience remains the bedrock of any successful primary healthcare reform.

The training marks another step in Cross River State's continued drive to strengthen healthcare governance, tighten financial accountability, and accelerate progress toward universal health coverage through the effective implementation of BHCPF 2.0.

๐Ÿ“ข Reported by CrsphcdaMedia







๐‚๐‘๐Ž๐’๐’ ๐‘๐ˆ๐•๐„๐‘ ๐’๐“๐€๐“๐„ ๐๐‘๐ˆ๐Œ๐€๐‘๐˜ ๐‡๐„๐€๐‹๐“๐‡ ๐‚๐€๐‘๐„ ๐ƒ๐„๐•๐„๐‹๐Ž๐๐Œ๐„๐๐“ ๐€๐†๐„๐๐‚๐˜ (๐‚๐‘๐’๐๐‡๐‚๐ƒ๐€) ๐‘๐„๐๐Ž๐‘๐“ ๐Ž๐ ๐“๐‡๐„ ๐€๐”๐†๐”๐’๐“ ๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ” ๐’๐Ž๐‹๐„๐Œ๐ ๐€๐’๐’๐„๐Œ๐๐‹๐˜Date: Monda...
03/08/2026

๐‚๐‘๐Ž๐’๐’ ๐‘๐ˆ๐•๐„๐‘ ๐’๐“๐€๐“๐„ ๐๐‘๐ˆ๐Œ๐€๐‘๐˜ ๐‡๐„๐€๐‹๐“๐‡ ๐‚๐€๐‘๐„ ๐ƒ๐„๐•๐„๐‹๐Ž๐๐Œ๐„๐๐“ ๐€๐†๐„๐๐‚๐˜ (๐‚๐‘๐’๐๐‡๐‚๐ƒ๐€) ๐‘๐„๐๐Ž๐‘๐“ ๐Ž๐ ๐“๐‡๐„ ๐€๐”๐†๐”๐’๐“ ๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ” ๐’๐Ž๐‹๐„๐Œ๐ ๐€๐’๐’๐„๐Œ๐๐‹๐˜
Date: Monday, 3rd August 2026
Venue: Conference Hall, CRSPHCDA, Calabar
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Moderator: Mrs Mercy Bassey
Anchor Department: Immunization Department

"Under the Prince Otu led administration, we have been able to strengthen and sustain the delivery of quality primary health care services across Cross River State, with the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency (CRSPHCDA) continuing to lead this charge through unity, discipline, and dedicated service."

In furtherance of this commitment, the Agency held its August 2026 Solemn Assembly on Monday, 3rd August 2026, at the Conference Hall, CRSPHCDA, Calabar, commenced at about 9:00 a.m. The event was anchored by the Immunization Department, with staff attendance mandated ahead of the occasion.

The assembly was attended by the Director-General of CRSPHCDA, Dr Vivien Mesembe Otu; the Director of Administration, Ite Sunday I.; heads of department; and staff of the Agency.

๐๐ซ๐จ๐œ๐ž๐ž๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ
The session followed the order set out in the day's agenda:
Opening Prayer led by Mrs Fatima Celestine, invoking God's guidance over the proceedings and the work of the Agency.

Praise and Worship led by Mrs Rosemary Okon, setting a reflective tone for the assembly.

Hymn the congregation sang "Standing on the Promises of Christ My King."

Exhortation delivered by Mrs Pauline Opla, encouraging staff to remain steadfast, diligent, and committed to service in their daily duties.

Prayer Session led by Mrs Margaret Kaka, with prayers offered for the Agency, its leadership, and the successful ex*****on of its primary health care mandate across the State.

Word of Advice / Benediction delivered jointly by the Director-General, Dr Vivien Mesembe Otu, and the Director of Administration, who admonished staff to uphold discipline, teamwork, and dedication to duty, while reaffirming the Agency's commitment to strengthening primary health care delivery in Cross River State.

๐‚๐ฅ๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ 
At the close of the assembly, staff were treated to refreshments provided by the Director-General, Dr Vivien Mesembe Otu, as a gesture of appreciation for their continued commitment and service to the Agency. The programme was declared closed with a benediction, reaffirming CRSPHCDA's resolve to improve primary health care delivery across the State.












๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ง๐š๐ญ๐š๐ฅ ๐Š๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ƒ๐ž๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐ž๐ซ๐ฒ: ๐‚๐‘๐’๐๐‡๐‚๐ƒ๐€ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ˆ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ณ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐”๐ฉ๐ญ๐š๐ค๐ž ๐“๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก ๐ˆ๐Œ๐๐€๐‚๐“ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฃ๐ž๐œ๐ญ'๐ฌ  #๐’๐ž๐š๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐Ž๐Ÿ๐’๐ฐ๐ž๐ž๐ญ๐ง๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ˆ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐š๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐žUnde...
02/08/2026

๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ง๐š๐ญ๐š๐ฅ ๐Š๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ƒ๐ž๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐ž๐ซ๐ฒ: ๐‚๐‘๐’๐๐‡๐‚๐ƒ๐€ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ˆ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ณ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐”๐ฉ๐ญ๐š๐ค๐ž ๐“๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก ๐ˆ๐Œ๐๐€๐‚๐“ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฃ๐ž๐œ๐ญ'๐ฌ #๐’๐ž๐š๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐Ž๐Ÿ๐’๐ฐ๐ž๐ž๐ญ๐ง๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ˆ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐š๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ž

Under the Prince Otu led administration, we have been able to sustain the drive towards improved child health outcomes across Cross River State. The Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency (CRSPHCDA), through the IMPACT project, has taken delivery of another round of postnatal kits for distribution to our facilities. These kits, containing toiletries and cosmetics for babies, will be given out as incentives at the point of immunization to boost uptake and encourage more mothers to complete their children's vaccination schedules.
This gesture reflects the administration's commitment to strengthening primary healthcare delivery and ensuring that every child in Cross River State is protected against preventable diseases.










NMA Cross River State Honours Distinguished Health Leaders, Swears In New Executives at Award NightUnder the Prince Otu-...
02/08/2026

NMA Cross River State Honours Distinguished Health Leaders, Swears In New Executives at Award Night

Under the Prince Otu-led administration, we have been able to strengthen healthcare delivery, deepen collaboration between government and medical professionals, and record notable milestones in advancing the health sector across Cross River State a commitment that took centre stage at the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Cross River State Branch's Annual General Meeting/Scientific Conference 2026.

The Association rolled out the red carpet for an evening of glamour and recognition, culminating in the presentation of Distinguished Service Awards to outstanding contributors to healthcare delivery in the state.

The event, held under the stewardship of the Dr. Ezoke Epoke-led State Officers' Committee (2024โ€“2026), celebrated individuals whose dedication had strengthened the practice of medicine and advanced healthcare across Cross River State.

Dignitaries Honoured with Awards of Excellence

The event was graced by top government functionaries and healthcare leaders, who were also honoured with Awards of Excellence in recognition of their contributions to governance and healthcare in the state. They included:

- His Excellency, Apostle Sen. Prince Bassey Edet Otu, Governor of Cross River State
- His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Peter Odey (Ph.D), Deputy Governor of Cross River State
- Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk, JP, PhD, Commissioner of Health
- Dr. Vivien Mesembe Otu, Director-General of the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency
- Mrs. Glory T. Effiong (Ph.D), Accountant-General, Cross River State
- Dr. Emmanuel Ironbar, Chief of Staff to the Governor of Cross River State
- Prof. Ikpeme, Chief Medical Director, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital
- Dr. Ikechukwu Ukweh, Group Managing Director, Hogis Luxury Suites, and Medical Director, Arubah Specialist Hospital

Award Highlight: Dr. Vivien Mesembe Otu

Among the evening's most notable honourees was Dr. Vivien Mesembe Otu, Director-General of the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency, who received the Distinguished Service Award on 1st August, 2026, in recognition of her ongoing support for the Association and her contributions to the advancement of healthcare delivery in the state.

New Executives Sworn In

The swearing-in of newly elected executives of the NMA Cross River State Branch formed a key part of the evening's agenda. The incoming executives are:

1. Dr. Pius Agweye โ€” Chairman
2. Dr. Minafuro Okwejie โ€” Vice Chairman
3. Dr. Ukam Edadi โ€” Secretary
4. Dr. Victor Essien โ€” Assistant Secretary
5. Dr. Otu Ekpenyong โ€” Treasurer
6. Dr. Verval Egbe โ€” Financial Secretary
7. Dr. Saviour Ezeh โ€” Public Relations Officer
8. Dr. Esor Ebong โ€” Welfare Officer

The newly sworn-in executives were charged to build on the achievements of their predecessors and deliver even greater impact during their tenure.

The outgoing executives were commended for their hard work, transparency, accountability, and unwavering commitment, which had brought about significant, lasting impact on the health system and the wider Cross River State community.

The evening, on the whole, underscored the NMA Cross River State Branch's commitment to recognizing excellence and service, honouring both distinguished medical professionals and government leaders whose collaborative efforts continue to shape healthcare delivery across the state.


















๐—ฃ๐—ฅ๐—ข๐—๐—˜๐—–๐—ง ๐—ฅ๐—˜๐—ฆ๐—ง๐—ข๐—ฅ๐—˜: ๐—” ๐—ฃ๐—ฅ๐—ข๐—๐—˜๐—–๐—ง ๐—ฅ๐—˜๐—ฆ๐—ง๐—ข๐—ฅ๐—˜: ๐—” ๐—Ÿ๐—”๐—ก๐——๐— ๐—”๐—ฅ๐—ž ๐—ฆ๐—ง๐—”๐—ก๐—— ๐—™๐—ข๐—ฅ ๐—ช๐—ข๐— ๐—˜๐—ก'๐—ฆ ๐——๐—œ๐—š๐—ก๐—œ๐—ง๐—ฌ ๐—œ๐—ก ๐—–๐—ฅ๐—ข๐—ฆ๐—ฆ ๐—ฅ๐—œ๐—ฉ๐—˜๐—ฅ ๐—ฆ๐—ง๐—”๐—ง๐—˜ ๐—ฆ๐—ง๐—”๐—ก๐—— ๐—™๐—ข๐—ฅ ๐—ช๐—ข๐— ๐—˜๐—ก'๐—ฆ ๐——๐—œ๐—š๐—ก๐—œ๐—ง๐—ฌ ...
01/08/2026

๐—ฃ๐—ฅ๐—ข๐—๐—˜๐—–๐—ง ๐—ฅ๐—˜๐—ฆ๐—ง๐—ข๐—ฅ๐—˜: ๐—” ๐—ฃ๐—ฅ๐—ข๐—๐—˜๐—–๐—ง ๐—ฅ๐—˜๐—ฆ๐—ง๐—ข๐—ฅ๐—˜: ๐—” ๐—Ÿ๐—”๐—ก๐——๐— ๐—”๐—ฅ๐—ž ๐—ฆ๐—ง๐—”๐—ก๐—— ๐—™๐—ข๐—ฅ ๐—ช๐—ข๐— ๐—˜๐—ก'๐—ฆ ๐——๐—œ๐—š๐—ก๐—œ๐—ง๐—ฌ ๐—œ๐—ก ๐—–๐—ฅ๐—ข๐—ฆ๐—ฆ ๐—ฅ๐—œ๐—ฉ๐—˜๐—ฅ ๐—ฆ๐—ง๐—”๐—ง๐—˜ ๐—ฆ๐—ง๐—”๐—ก๐—— ๐—™๐—ข๐—ฅ ๐—ช๐—ข๐— ๐—˜๐—ก'๐—ฆ ๐——๐—œ๐—š๐—ก๐—œ๐—ง๐—ฌ ๐—œ๐—ก ๐—–๐—ฅ๐—ข๐—ฆ๐—ฆ ๐—ฅ๐—œ๐—ฉ๐—˜๐—ฅ

ยฉ ๐˜พ๐™ง๐™ค๐™จ๐™จ ๐™๐™ž๐™ซ๐™š๐™ง ๐™Ž๐™ฉ๐™–๐™ฉ๐™š ๐™‹๐™ง๐™ž๐™ข๐™–๐™ง๐™ฎ ๐™ƒ๐™š๐™–๐™ก๐™ฉ๐™๐™˜๐™–๐™ง๐™š ๐˜ฟ๐™š๐™ซ๐™š๐™ก๐™ค๐™ฅ๐™ข๐™š๐™ฃ๐™ฉ ๐˜ผ๐™œ๐™š๐™ฃ๐™˜๐™ฎ (๐˜พ๐™๐™Ž๐™‹๐™ƒ๐˜พ๐˜ฟ๐˜ผ) ๐™ˆ๐™š๐™™๐™ž๐™– ๐™๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ฉ

โ€Ž"Under the Prince Otu led administration, we have been able to place the health and dignity of women at the very heart of governance and nowhere was this more evident than in the recent, deeply moving campaign against Obstetric Fistula across Cross River State."
โ€ŽIn a rare convergence of government will, traditional authority, international partnership, and grassroots compassion, Cross River State has just closed the chapter on one of its most consequential public health interventions in recent memory: Project Restore the Women's Dignity Symposium and Free Surgery Mission, targeting the eradication of vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) and rectovaginal fistula (RVF).

โ€Ž๐—” ๐— ๐—ผ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐—บ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜, ๐—ก๐—ผ๐˜ ๐—๐˜‚๐˜€๐˜ ๐—ฎ๐—ป ๐—˜๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜
โ€ŽThe initiative unfolded in three powerful acts. It began with advocacy a royal audience with the Obong of Calabar, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V, who took the extraordinary step of recalling his Etuboms and council chiefs from a scheduled recess to receive the Director-General of CRSPHCDA, Dr. Vivien Mesembe Otu, and Dr. Nkiruka Agbazue, founder of HELLO International. The monarch's decision to prioritize the visit above his own council's rest day spoke volumes about the weight Cross River's traditional institution now places on women's health as a pillar of communal stability.

โ€ŽIt continued with education the Project Restore Women's Dignity Symposium at the Cross River State Library Complex, Calabar, convened under the theme "Ending Obstetric Fistula Through Prevention, Partnership and Women's Empowerment." The day opened with a symbolic one-hour Awareness Walk from Mary Slessor Roundabout through Marian Road and IBB Way, past U.J. Esuene Stadium, led by Dr. Otu. Inside the hall, a formidable faculty of specialists urogynecology, obstetrics, human rights law, psychology, and social work walked stakeholders through the full arc of fistula care: prevention, surgical repair, legal protection, emotional healing, and reintegration.

โ€ŽGovernment officials in attendance included the Director-General of CRSPHCDA, Dr. Vivien Mesembe Otu; the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk; the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hon. Edema Irom; the Commissioner for International Donor Coordination, Dr. Hippolatus Lukpata; the Special Adviser to the Governor on Nursing Education, Mrs. Udauk Spencer Efem; and the Representative of the First Lady of Cross River State, Mrs. Queeneth Eton, Special Adviser to the First Lady on Programs.

โ€ŽThe symposium also drew a broad cross-section of society, with traditional rulers, religious leaders, traditional birth attendants, health workers, Muslim Women groups, Nursing, Medical and Secondary school students, and various NGOs all turning out in strength.

โ€ŽAnd it closed with restoration the free surgical mission at the Fistula Centre, General Hospital, Calabar, where 20 women received reconstructive surgery, physiotherapy-based rehabilitation, and economic empowerment support, entirely at no cost to them, fully underwritten by HELLO International with support from the Cross River State government.

As part of the economic empowerment package, the women were presented with grinding machines complete with their engines, sewing machines, ovens and dryers (both gas and firewood-powered), and fabricated popcorn poppers to support their reintegration into economic life.

โ€ŽBehind every successful repair in that theatre stood one steady pair of hands: Dr. Etim Effiong Ayi, Obstetric Fistula Surgeon and a Burns and Plastics Surgeon of the highest distinction. It is one thing to pledge free surgery to twenty women; it is quite another to deliver it with the precision, patience, and technical mastery that true reconstructive fistula repair demands. Dr. Ayi brought both translating a humanitarian commitment into twenty successful outcomes, and giving each woman not merely a repaired body, but a restored place in her family and community. His work at the theatre of repair and reconstruction was, in every sense, the quiet engine room behind Project Restore's public triumph, and history will rightly record his name alongside this landmark chapter in Cross River State's fight against fistula. Perhaps most powerful of all were the survivors themselves, who stepped forward to share their stories of pain, healing, and hope transforming a policy conversation into a deeply human one.

โ€Ž๐—•๐—ฒ๐˜†๐—ผ๐—ป๐—ฑ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—–๐—น๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ฐ: ๐——๐—ถ๐—ด๐—ป๐—ถ๐˜๐˜†, ๐—Ÿ๐—ฒ๐—ด๐—ฎ๐—น๐—น๐˜† ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ ๐—ฆ๐—ผ๐—ฐ๐—ถ๐—ฎ๐—น๐—น๐˜† ๐——๐—ฒ๐—ณ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ฒ๐—ฑ
โ€ŽWhat distinguished Project Restore from a conventional medical outreach was its refusal to treat fistula as a purely clinical problem. The Nigerian Human Rights Commission and the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) addressed the legal and human-rights dimensions of survivorship, while psychologists and social workers tackled the emotional trauma and social exclusion that so often accompany the condition. Students were not left out books on character and values were donated to school libraries by the daughter of the founder of Hello International Miss Udodi, and every student in attendance received a personal gift package from Dr. Agbazue, embedding the message of dignity in the state's next generation.

โ€Ž๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ฅ๐—ฒ๐—ถ๐—ป๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ด๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป ๐—–๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—บ๐—ผ๐—ป๐˜†: ๐—” ๐—™๐—ถ๐˜๐˜๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—–๐—น๐—ถ๐—บ๐—ฎ๐˜…
โ€ŽAt the formal reintegration ceremony, Dr. Vivien Mesembe Otu captured the spirit of the entire mission in her remarks of gratitude to Dr. Agbazue: for the surgery, the rehabilitation, the empowerment, and ultimately, the return of these women to full participation in society. Government functionaries, including the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hon. Edema Irom, and the Commissioner for International Donor Coordination, Dr. Hippolatus Lukpata, joined in affirming the state's appreciation for a partnership stakeholders have already described as a landmark in the fight against fistula-related stigma. Commitments to end VVF and RVF in our society were secured from all the groups represented at the event.

โ€Ž๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ง๐—ฎ๐—ธ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐˜„๐—ฎ๐˜†
โ€ŽProject Restore is more than a single successful campaign it is a template. It shows what becomes possible when a state government, a royal institution, an international NGO, UN agencies, legal advocates, and communities align around a single, unglamorous but urgent cause: the health and dignity of women who have been too long overlooked. Cross River State has signaled, through both word and action, that maternal health and women's dignity are not peripheral concerns, but central to its vision of development.

โ€ŽThe commitments made at the close of the symposium stronger referral systems, sustained prevention campaigns, and continued partnership now set the benchmark against which the state's next chapter on women's health will be measured.

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30/07/2026

CALABAR ROYAL FATHER RALLIES SUPPORT FOR VVF AWARENESS AS NGO OFFERS FREE SURGERY TO 20 WOMEN


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๐˜พ๐™๐™Š๐™Ž๐™Ž ๐™๐™„๐™‘๐™€๐™ ๐™Ž๐™๐˜ผ๐™๐™€ ๐™‚๐™Š๐™‘๐™€๐™๐™‰๐™ˆ๐™€๐™‰๐™ ๐˜ผ๐™‰๐™‰๐™Š๐™๐™‰๐˜พ๐™€๐™Ž ๐™ƒ๐™„๐™Ž๐™๐™Š๐™๐™„๐˜พ ๐™๐™€๐™๐™„๐™๐™€๐™ˆ๐™€๐™‰๐™ ๐˜ผ๐™‚๐™€ ๐™€๐™“๐™๐™€๐™‰๐™Ž๐™„๐™Š๐™‰ ๐™๐™Š๐™ ๐™ƒ๐™€๐˜ผ๐™‡๐™๐™ƒ ๐™’๐™Š๐™๐™†๐™€๐™๐™Ž By CRSPHDA MEDIA Under the P...
28/07/2026

๐˜พ๐™๐™Š๐™Ž๐™Ž ๐™๐™„๐™‘๐™€๐™ ๐™Ž๐™๐˜ผ๐™๐™€ ๐™‚๐™Š๐™‘๐™€๐™๐™‰๐™ˆ๐™€๐™‰๐™ ๐˜ผ๐™‰๐™‰๐™Š๐™๐™‰๐˜พ๐™€๐™Ž ๐™ƒ๐™„๐™Ž๐™๐™Š๐™๐™„๐˜พ ๐™๐™€๐™๐™„๐™๐™€๐™ˆ๐™€๐™‰๐™ ๐˜ผ๐™‚๐™€ ๐™€๐™“๐™๐™€๐™‰๐™Ž๐™„๐™Š๐™‰ ๐™๐™Š๐™ ๐™ƒ๐™€๐˜ผ๐™‡๐™๐™ƒ ๐™’๐™Š๐™๐™†๐™€๐™๐™Ž

By CRSPHDA MEDIA

Under the Prince Otu led administration, we have been able to reposition healthcare as a cornerstone of governance and today, another landmark achievement has been recorded.

In a bold and far-reaching policy decision, the Cross River State Government has approved the extension of the retirement age for health workers from 60 to 65 years, or 40 years of pensionable service, whichever comes first. This historic move is designed to retain the state's most experienced medical professionals and further strengthen healthcare delivery for every resident of Cross River State.

The approval was granted by His Excellency, Governor Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, and formally conveyed through Head of Service Circular No. 11/2026, dated 27th July 2026, signed by the Head of Service, Mr. Orok Bassey Okon. The directive responds to a pressing need to address the shortage of experienced health personnel and safeguard the quality of healthcare services across the state.

This policy is specifically targeted at frontline health workers actively serving in hospitals, clinics, and healthcare institutions across the state, while personnel in purely administrative positions fall outside its scope. Under the new arrangement, eligible state health workers will be recommended to the Head of Service by the Commissioner for Health, following thorough verification of eligibility and continued fitness for duty, while eligible local government health workers will be recommended by the Director-General of the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency for onward transmission to the Office of the Head of Service.

The Accountant-General has also been directed to ensure that only duly approved officers remain on the government payroll under this new framework, even as the retirement benchmark for all other public servants remains unchanged at 60 years of age or 35 years of pensionable service, in line with existing Public Service Rules.

The new policy takes effect from August 1, 2026, and is expected to significantly strengthen the state's health workforce by retaining seasoned professionals whose expertise remains indispensable to improving health outcomes for Cross Riverians.

Reacting to the announcement, the Director-General of the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Vivien Mesembe Otu, hailed the Governor's decision as a historic feat for the health sector, describing it as a clear reflection of the administration's unwavering commitment to health worker welfare and the continued transformation of healthcare delivery in the state. Speaking on behalf of health workers across Cross River State, Dr. Otu extended profound gratitude to Governor Otu, describing the decision as an exceptional demonstration of responsive, people-centred leadership.

"This approval is a clear testament to His Excellency's commitment to the welfare of health workers and his determination to build a resilient and efficient healthcare system. We are deeply grateful for this thoughtful intervention, which will preserve valuable experience within our health facilities and further improve the quality of care available to our people," she said.

Dr. Otu further commended the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), development and implementing partners, professional associations, and civil society organisations for their sustained collaboration in strengthening the state's health workforce, noting that the remarkable progress being recorded in Cross River's health sector today is the product of visionary leadership, strategic partnerships, and the dedication of healthcare professionals. She expressed strong confidence that this new policy would further consolidate the gains already achieved under the Governor Otu-led administration.

24/07/2026
24/07/2026
๐‚๐‘๐’๐๐‡๐‚๐ƒ๐€ ๐„๐ง๐ ๐š๐ ๐ž๐ฌ ๐„๐๐ข๐›๐š ๐‚๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ, ๐๐ซ๐ž๐š๐ค๐ฌ ๐†๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐‚๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐…๐จ๐จ๐ ๐๐š๐ง๐ค ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฃ๐ž๐œ๐ญ ๐š๐ญ ๐๐‡๐‚ ๐„๐๐ข๐›๐šUnder the Prince Otu-led adm...
24/07/2026

๐‚๐‘๐’๐๐‡๐‚๐ƒ๐€ ๐„๐ง๐ ๐š๐ ๐ž๐ฌ ๐„๐๐ข๐›๐š ๐‚๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ, ๐๐ซ๐ž๐š๐ค๐ฌ ๐†๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐‚๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐…๐จ๐จ๐ ๐๐š๐ง๐ค ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฃ๐ž๐œ๐ญ ๐š๐ญ ๐๐‡๐‚ ๐„๐๐ข๐›๐š

Under the Prince Otu-led administration, we have been able to translate vision into action by strengthening primary healthcare infrastructure, fostering community ownership, and implementing innovative interventions that improve the health and well-being of our people across Cross River State.

The Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (CRSPHCDA), under the leadership of the Director General, Dr. Vivien Mesembe Otu, recorded another significant milestone with a community engagement and project commencement visit to PHC Ediba in Calabar Municipality.

The visit commenced with an engagement session where the Director General presented the Community Food Bank (CFB) Project to His Royal Highness, Iso Iso Nyeh, Clan Head of Ediba, alongside community leaders and members. She explained the objectives of the initiative, emphasizing its role in supporting nutrition, strengthening community resilience, and complementing primary healthcare service delivery through a sustainable, community-driven approach.

This was followed by the official groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Community Food Bank at PHC Ediba, performed by His Royal Highness Iso Iso Nyeh, marking the formal commencement of the project. The ceremony reflected the community's commitment and partnership with the Agency in advancing impactful healthcare initiatives.

In continuation of the visit, the Director General led a delegation to the palace of His Royal Highness Iso Iso Nyeh to pay homage to the custodian of the Ediba Kingdom. The delegation comprised the site engineers, the Director of Local Government Authority, Calabar Municipality, the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of PHC Ediba, management and staff of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, as well as the Ward Development Committee (WDC) Chairman of Ediba PHC, who is also a member of the Ediba Council, alongside other cabinet members of the traditional institution.

The visit underscored the importance of collaboration between government, traditional institutions, and community stakeholders in delivering sustainable healthcare projects that directly benefit the people.

Together, we remain committed to building healthier communities through strategic partnerships, innovative interventions, and people-centered leadership.
















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