Be Security Vanguards For Govt Infrastructure - Health Commissioner Tells Community
By Ebi COLLINS
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Henry Egbe Ayuk has charged Cross River communities to be vanguards for the security of government infrastructure, especially health facilities in government-owned medical centres in their localities.
Dr. Ayuk gave the charge during his recent interface with community representatives and Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) personnel over alleged theft of equipment from the facility in Bebuabie Community of Obudu Local Government Area.
Recall that there was public outcry from youths of Bebuabie Community (in a viral video), penultimate week, alleging theft of equipment from the PHC in the community by the LGA PHC Coordinator, Christiana Akeke.
In the over two-hour meeting, the Health Commissioner listened to the positions of both the accused (Christiana Akeke - Obudu PHC Coordinator), Officer in-charge of the PHC, Ugih Elizabeth, as well as Bebuabie aCommunity representatives.
The Health Boss thanked Bebuabie Community for taking ownership of the government facility in their domain and going the extra mile to ensure its security, noting that the State Government appreciates their show of responsibility.
He called on communities to reinforce their local security network to prevent any external security breaches on government property in their locality, as security cannot be left for government alone to provide.
In their separate presentations, community representatives ,Atim Ateh and Matthias Ukwalebo recounted a history of disappearance of PHC equipment, and pointed fingers of suspicion to personnel in charge of the facility, listing 16 solar panels, two overhead tanks, patients beds, cradles, solar batteries and two generators, as some of the items stolen from the health centre over the years.
The Obudu LGA PHC Coordinator said the purported items were meant to be taken out for repairs and not the other way around as the villagers claimed.
Consequently, the Health Commissioner inaugurated a 3-member Committee to investigate the matter. The Committee is headed by the State Director of Nursing Services in the Ministry of Health, Mary Ingio, with the Director, State Primary Healthcare Development, Ekaette Ekpenyong, and Assistant Director, Health Systems and Donor Support, Obeten Ifere, as members.
The Commissioner reiterated government's zero tolerance to theft, vandalism and any other form of sabotage to government efforts towards providing basic health services to the citizens, especially at the grassroots level, noting that any government official found culpable would be sanctioned according to the extant rules of the State Civil Service.
He charged the Investigation Committee to discharge its duty diligently, without fear or favour, pointing out that government would use the Bebuabie Health Centre to set a standard against vandalism, theft and other untoward practices in the health sector.
