By BANNERNEWS Reporter
The Cross River State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining strong partnerships with development agencies and stakeholders to deepen healthcare delivery across the state.
The Deputy Governor, Dr Peter Odey, stated this at the official flag-off of the Measles–Rubella Vaccination Campaign on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at the Ikot Ansa Primary Health Centre, Calabar. He was represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk.
Dr. Ayuk said the administration of Governor Bassey Otu considers collaboration with both governmental and non-governmental partners, including the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), as central to building a resilient and responsive health system.
He assured development partners of a conducive environment for effective engagement, stressing the government’s resolve to rebuild confidence and sustain existing health partnerships across the state.
Highlighting sectoral milestones, the commissioner noted that Cross River recently became the first state government to procure family planning commodities for community use, describing the move as a landmark policy intervention.
Dr. Ayuk underscored the role of community participation in improving vaccine uptake, calling on traditional rulers, community leaders, market women and caregivers to mobilise support to ensure optimal utilisation of the vaccines.
“This campaign is a system-strengthening effort aimed at preventing vaccine wastage and ensuring that our children are fully protected,” he said.
In a goodwill message, Chairman of the House Committee on Health Services, Nutrition and Food Security, Hilary Bisong described vaccination as one of the most effective tools for preventing childhood deaths and cervical cancer.
He said the integration of the Measles–Rubella campaign with HPV vaccination for adolescent girls and strengthened routine immunisation reflects a comprehensive public health strategy under Governor Otu’s leadership.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Vivien Mesembe Otu, described the flag-off as historic, noting that the state is among the Phase 2b implementers of the newly introduced Measles–Rubella vaccine in Nigeria.
She explained that the campaign targets children aged nine months to 14 years, aims to prevent Congenital Rubella Syndrome, and strengthen herd immunity across communities.
“By vaccinating our children today, we are protecting unborn children from lifelong disabilities such as blindness, deafness and heart defects,” she said, assuring parents that the vaccines are safe, potent, government-funded and free.
Dr. Otu added that vaccination teams would be deployed to health facilities, schools, religious centres, markets and other public spaces to ensure no child is missed.
In a goodwill message delivered on her behalf by Dr. Comfort Oko, the First Lady of the state, Mrs Eyoanwan Bassey Otu, urged parents and caregivers to embrace immunisation as a proven and effective way to secure a healthier future for children and communities.
The Commissioner for Information, Dr. Erasmus Ekpang, also encouraged parents to present their children for vaccination, noting that Cross River recently emerged Nigeria’s best-performing state in routine immunisation in the 2024 National Demographic and Health Survey. He reaffirmed the Otu administration’s commitment to expanding health policies that attract international support and pledged continued collaboration to boost public awareness, while also calling for improved access to anti-snake venom to curb preventable deaths.
The event featured goodwill messages from the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Ekpo Ekpo Bassey, and representatives of the NPHCDA, UNICEF, WHO and other partners, who commended the state government’s sustained health reforms and pledged continued support.
