C’ River Govt commences screening of children against malnutrition
The Cross-River state government says it has commenced the screening of no fewer than 750,000 children across the 18 local government areas of the state against malnutrition.
The Director-General, Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Betta Edu, made this known on Wednesday in Calabar.
She spoke at the flag off of the second round of Maternal Newborn and Child Healthcare Week in the state.
Edu said that the week was a health intervention for mothers and children from zero to 59 months across the 18 local government areas.
According to her, in spite of the financial constrain facing the state, Gov. Ben Ayade is still committed to ensuring that every woman and child benefits from free health services within the week and beyond.
“We are starting this maternal newborn week with the free screening of over 750,000 children against malnutrition across the 18 local government areas of the state.
“After the screening, any child that is malnourished will be referred to the nearest general hospital for treatment.
“We are also going to immunise and deworm the children against all forms of sicknesses; these services are free of charge.
“These services will reduce infant mortality and improve our health indices in the state.
“We want to keep our women and children alive by providing free quality health service for them,’’ she said.
Also, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Inyang Asibong, said that the state government attached much priority to the health sector.
Asibong called on nursing mothers across the state to visit the nearest primary health centre closer to them and access the free health services.
Speaking, Dr Ekpo Ekpo-Bassey, a lawmaker and the Chairman, State House of Assembly Committee on Health, said that the week was very important as it would offer free health service to mothers and children.
One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Theresa Edet, thanked the state government for the kind gesture.
Edet said that if not for the intervention, some of them could not afford the health services due to lack of money.
