Cross River First Lady, Linda Ayade, during the official flag-off of outbreak response of Poliomyelitis in state.
PATRICK ABANG Calabar –
The wife of the Cross River State Governor, Dr. Linda Ayade has said that infant mortality has been reduced drastically in the state.
Dr. Linda disclosed this during the weekend in Calabar during the official flag-off ceremony of Maternal Newborn and Child Health Week.
The governor’s wife, who was represented by Dr. Janet Ekpenyong, The Director General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency.
In her words, “infant mortality rate is going down in Cross River State because of the proactive measures. We have been putting in place to ensure children between ages 0 to 5 years are immunized against vaccine preventable diseases.
“All these high impact interventions are helping us achieve that and visits to health facilities have decreased thereby reducing patronage of health facilities.
“For so many years now, there has been no outbreak of diseases in the state and exercises like this has helped the state tremendously over the years”, she said.
She said the target is to ensure that no child in the state within 0 to 5 years is left out alongside pregnant women.
She added that the week will also award them the opportunity to deworm our children and give them Vitamin A supplements.
The idea, she said is to build their immunity at that tender age and build them for the future.
The exercise, she added is taking place simultaneously in all the local government areas and communities in the state.
About 900,000 women and infants are expected to benefit from the MNCHW which is the first for this year.
