Revamping Health Sector, Our Collective Responsibility - Health Commissioner
By Ogbu KOSY
Cross River Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk has averred that the onerous assignment of recalibrating and revamping the health sector of the State remains the collective responsibility of all stakeholders.
Dr. Ayuk made the assertion, today, while addressing Management Staff upon his official assumption of office at the Ministry of Health headquarters in Calabar.
"I want to appreciate you all for the warm reception. I had even started work before my assumption of office today.
"We are going to work as a partners. But I would not take any inconsistencies in the course of doing our job. So if you want to be my friend, then take your work seriously.
"Everyone has a responsibility towards achieving the present administration's policy thrust in the health sector. I would like to sit one on one with every staff of this Ministry in due course. My leadership would dwell on workload analysis to ensure effective personnel output," the Commissioner remarked.
The Health Commissioner further directed the Permanent Secretary to provide a database of all staff of the Ministry and their designations, especially those in the basic health services who are billed to retire before the end of 2023.
This, he maintained, would help the Ministry to monitor and retain those who have shown excellence in their duty to continue rendering service to the state.
Lamenting the unfortunate incident where medical doctors in the State have suspended their services due to the abduction of their colleague, Dr. Ayuk informed that government is liaising with stakeholders to resolve the situation.
The Etung-born Doctor and Public Health Expert used the opportunity to called on Cross Rivererians to support the Governor Bassey Otu-led administration and key into its people-oriented agenda in order to take Cross River State to a higher pedestal.
In her remarks, the Ministry's Permanent Secretary, Dr. Pauline Obute, expressed excitement at the appointment of Dr. Ayuk to superintend over the Ministry and the sector at large, while appreciating the Commissioner for availing himself to lead the charge for a better health sector of the State at this critical period of time.
While expressing confidence in the Commissioner's ability, the Permanent Secretary quipped: "Dr. Ayuk is not new to leadership, because he has been a chairman of local government, and championed health development initiatives for a chunk of his life. I trust he would live up to the expectations of government and the people of Cross River State."
Dr. Obute informed that the state health cluster has a staff strength of over 1,000, with over a hundred as personnel of the Ministry.
She described the crop of staff in the Ministry as "a people given to service," while assuring the Commissioner of the Management and Staff's unflinching support for the actualisation of the Ministry's mandate.
Highpoints of the day were prayers, introduction of the Management team to the Commissioner and a photo session.
