C’River Embarks on 4-Day Review to Strengthen Primary Healthcare Under “People-First” Agenda
By Ebi COLLINS
The Cross River State Government, through the Primary Health Care Development Agency (CRSPHCDA), has commenced a four-day review of the Minimum Service Package (MSP) document as part of its commitment to advancing Governor Bassey Edet Otu’s “People First” healthcare agenda. The exercise is designed to strengthen the delivery of quality, affordable healthcare across all Primary Healthcare (PHC) facilities in the state.
The review meeting, which commenced on Monday and continues through Friday, in Calabar, was formally declared open by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk (Ph.D.). In his address, Dr. Ayuk charged participants to make the most of the opportunity to build their capacities for effective healthcare delivery, especially in rural communities. He emphasized that the MSP review is a vital step toward repositioning the health system to be more efficient, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of the people.
In her welcome remarks, the Director General of CRSPHCDA, Dr. Vivien Mesembe Otu, described the review as a landmark in the state’s quest to improve health outcomes. She applauded participants and partners for their dedication and encouraged them to fully engage in the process of refining the MSP and related documents that will guide PHC operations. According to her, the updated framework will provide a reliable tool for monitoring service delivery, identifying gaps, and planning more effectively to meet community health needs.
Dr. Otu further stressed the importance of collective effort, noting that “all hands must be on deck to make sure we achieve the best for our healthcare system.” She reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to meeting at least a 90 percent benchmark across all pillars of the Primary Health Care Under One Roof (PHCUOR) policy recommended by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA). These pillars include Governance and Ownership, Legislation, Systems Development, Repositioning, Minimum Service Package, Human Resources, Office Set-up, Funding, and Operational Guidelines.
She also expressed gratitude to the NPHCDA, the State Ministry of Health, UNICEF, WHO, and other implementing partners for their sustained support, which she said remains crucial to the success of the exercise.
Adding perspective to the discussions, retired Permanent Secretary, Dr. Etim Ayi, highlighted the overarching purpose of the Minimum Service Package. He explained that the MSP is intended to address deprivations by tackling multiple challenges faced by vulnerable populations through a cross-sectoral approach; helps to prevent social problems, including poverty, violence, early pregnancies, and preventable diseases; ensures essential access by guaranteeing that underserved populations, particularly during crises, can rely on a minimum range and quality of vital services; decl that the MSP represents a strategic investment, providing a framework for channeling limited resources into healthcare delivery to achieve maximum impact.
The four-day meeting, scheduled to run from Tuesday, September 16 to Friday, September 19, 2025, has attracted senior health officials, policy leaders, and development partners. Notable participants included Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Ekpo Ekpo Bassey, Special Adviser to the Governor on Health; Mrs. Uduak Spencer Efem, Special Adviser on Nursing Education; and Dr. Godwin Iyala, Director General of the Cross River State Health Insurance Agency (CRSHIA).
Others present include Dr. David Ushie, Technical Adviser on Universal Health Coverage; Mr. Okechukwu Christian, State Coordinator of NPHCDA; Barr. Lucy Enakirerhi, Permanent Secretary of CRSPHCDA; Dr. Peter Uklala, Permanent Secretary of Budget; and Utsalo Carmeline, Program Coordinator at ZIPLINE. Representatives of the Ministry of Works, along with directors, heads of programs, frontline health workers, and other key stakeholders, were also in attendance.
