With the event of the third wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Cross River state under the Guided Leadership of Sen Ben Ayade a renowned Professor of Microbiology and Governor of the state has continued to stand out in prevention of the dreaded disease. During the First phase of the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine, the Governor put all modalities in place to ensure seamless logistics to get the vaccines to Cross Riverians making cross River Top the chart in Nigeria with 117% coverage of targeted population in Nigeria.
With the sequencing of the Delta variant in Cross River state, the Cross River state COVID-19 response taskforce Led by Dr Betta Edu and closely supported by Dr Janet Ekpeyong have worked to see that the doses of COVID-19 vaccines are available to all cross Riverians in all Primary,Secondary and even Tertiary Health facilities in the state.
The team recorded another first as Catholic Priest converged in Bekwarra Local Government Area! A novel step first of its kind in Nigeria which involved bringing together the Leadership of the Catholic Church in the state to get vaccinated and also speak to their congregation to get vaccinated in the interest of the general public safety.
The Commissioner for Health Dr Betta Edu who commended the exceptional leadership of the Catholic Church in the state for their continuous support to health care delivery in the state. She said their action has shown strong leadership dispelling all myths and fake news around the COVID-19 vaccines. At least the Christian body can know that the vaccines are not harmful but will only provide protection for individuals against the COVID19 pandemic “the Virus keeps mutating from Beta to Delta to Mu etc we need to quickly get 80% ~90% vaccinated to achieve herd immunity and stop the spread of the disease. Everyone who has died recently of COVID-19 are persons who are not vaccinated, further more everyone who has had very severe symptoms are unvaccinated. So why should we wait to die or get severely ill when the vaccines are available? “ said Dr Betta
Dr Janet Ekpeyong the DG CRSPHCDA in her remarks said the state Government has made vaccines available in all Primary Health centers, some fixed post, secondary facilities and tertiary facilities, she assured the Priest that teams will be sent to missionary Hospitals to immunize people there. The DG went further to explain that taking the vaccine helps the individual to build immunity which will fight the disease if the get exposed to it, preventing complications and death.
The Bishop in-charge as well as the SA to the Governor on Religious matters Father Bob Ettah, thanked the health sector for the great job the have been doing encouraging them to always partner with the Catholic Church on time to spread health information to the grass root! The promised to work with the state to make greater impart in the health sector.
Highlight of the event was the immunization of Reverend fathers and Reverend sisters by the Honorable Commissioner for Health Dr Betta Edu and the DG Primary health Care Dr Janet Ekpeyong in Bekwarra