Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu has donated 32-seater buses, one each, to the Colleges of Nursing and Midwifery Sciences in Itigidi, Calabar, and Ogoja to ensure the smooth delivery of nursing services to hospitals nationwide.
The state governor has described the donation of buses as part of his administration’s investment in preventive health and training the next generation of healthcare professionals.
Presenting the buses to the recipients yesterday at the Governor’s Office, Calabar, the governor stated that the buses underscored his transformative “People First” agenda in the health sector.
Otu stated that preventive health is central to reducing the high cost of medical care and sustaining wellness among the population.
The governor said, “We discovered that the only way to cut costs is to ensure our people stay healthy. Prevention is cheaper than cure, and we are committed to strengthening that approach.”
He stated that plans are underway to establish a “medical village” in one of the northern senatorial district hospitals. The village would be designed to improve access to quality care while serving as a training hub for nurses and doctors.
The governor stressed that training and retraining of health professionals remain key priorities to ensure continuity of service.
He stated that the State Health Insurance Scheme would continue to receive a boost, making healthcare more affordable and reducing the burden of out-of-pocket spending.
In his remarks, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk, while receiving the buses, described the donation as “empirical evidence” of the administration’s commitment to health sector reforms.
“A few years ago, we had only one accredited training institution, the College of Nursing at Itigidi.
“Today, by the governor’s vision and support, we have four functional and accredited colleges across the state.
“This is not because there was excess money, but because the governor challenged us to prove to the world what can be achieved with the little we have,” the commissioner maintained.
Ayuk averred that nursing and midwifery students conduct about 80% of their clinical training outside the classroom, making mobility critical.
“It is not just about buses; it is about ensuring that our students can move from one location to another for their practical work. These vehicles will serve that essential need,” Ayuk stated.
