By  Johnbosco Agbakwuru, CALABAR
Cross River State Government has embarked on the recruitment of additional 18 medical doctors to be deployed to the eighteen Local Government Areas of the state for effective implementation of its Community Health programme.

Special Adviser to Governor Liyel Imoke on Community Health, Dr. Iyam Ugot who disclosed this in Calabar said that the community health programme was aimed at having the best quality and most accessible health care services that addresses public health issues in the state.

Dr. Ugot said that the state Community Health Services would monitor health status to identify community health problems; develop strategies to improve health and inform, educate and empower people about health issues to promote healthy lifestyles and address community health concerns.

He also said the Community Health services would mobilize community partnerships to identify and solve health problems, develop policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts as well as enforce state and country health laws that protect health and ensure safety.

The Special Adviser further disclosed that the state government has established health post in rural communities manned by well trained health personnel and equipped with basic facilities to meet the health needs of the people in the rural areas.
According to him, the primary health care service of the state will be provided with ambulances, medical equipment and utility structures to carry out the assignment.

Already, the state government has distributed over 1, 374, 000 (one million, three hundred and seventy four thousand) treated mosquito net for the people especially in the rural communities, while about 600,000 are ready for distribution.
Dr. Ugot said that Cross River state is ahead of other states in the country in community health programme, adding that it was the determination of government to provide for its subjects, hence the introduction of free medical treatment for pregnant women and children below five years.