By BANNERNEWS Reporter, Calabar
Cross River State has rolled out a series of healthcare interventions as part of the 2026 Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Week, aimed at improving the wellbeing of mothers and children across the state.
The weeklong campaign, which runs from June 11 to 15, will provide routine immunisation for children aged zero to 15 months, introduce the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for nine-year-old girls, and offer multiple micronutrient supplements, iron and folic acid tablets, as well as Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine (SP) for malaria prevention in pregnancy.
Free HIV and Tuberculosis screening, testing and counselling services will also be available during the exercise being coordinated by the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency (CRSPHCDA), the Ministry of Health and development partners.
Flagging off the programme in Calabar, the Wife of the Governor, Bishop Eyoanwan Bassey Otu, urged parents and caregivers to take advantage of the free services, describing the initiative as a critical investment in the health of families and communities.
“These interventions are free, safe and designed to protect the health of our families. A healthy child is the foundation of a healthy community, and a healthy mother is the strength of a healthy nation,” she said.
Mrs Otu noted that the campaign remains one of the most cost-effective public health interventions, reaching mothers and children in all 18 local government areas of the state with essential healthcare services.
Commissioner for Health, Dr Henry Ayuk, said the government’s strategy of taking healthcare directly to communities had continued to yield positive results. He disclosed that outreach programmes contributed significantly to the state’s estimated 400,000 outpatient visits recorded in 2025, with initiatives supported by the Governor’s Wife playing a major role.
Director-General of the CRSPHCDA, Dr Vivien Mesembe Otu, said the exercise was designed to tackle preventable health challenges through improved access to healthcare services. She reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to ensuring that no mother, newborn or child is left behind.
Representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency commended the state government’s support for the programme, while urging greater outreach to hard-to-reach communities. The event featured the symbolic administration of vaccines and presentation of healthcare packs, marking the official commencement of the 2026 MNCH Week across Cross River State.
