The Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) project has been commended for providing and facilitating the installation of some ultrasound machines in designated Primary Health Care Centres in Cross River state.
Cross River state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Ayuk made the commendation on behalf of the state government while receiving representatives of CHAMPS project during a courtesy visit, yesterday in Calabar.
Ayuk expressed joy over the donation, noting that the gesture has singled out CHAMPS has a reliable partner in the governor Bassey Edet Otu led administration’s health policy towards providing access to high quality and affordable healthcare services to the masses.
“Their research findings and recommendations over the years have become an integral part of our health policy initiatives aimed at addressing gaps, promote standard and efficiency; thereby checkmating maternal morbidity and mortal rate”
“These donation would greatly improve the capacity of healthcare workers to tackle child and maternal health issues effectively at the grass root.
. “The ultrasound machines and the establishment of a recent community advisory across the seven local government of Cross River south will play a pivotal role in improving health outcomes in the state”, the commissioner added.
While presenting the ultrasound machines, CHAMPS Principal Investigator, Professor Martin Meremikwu, said the installation of the ultrasound machines will go a long way to enhance safe deliveries while protecting the health of both the mother and child during the different phases of pregnancy.
He said: “Ultrasound can assist you to do many things from detecting if actually a baby is in the womb, its positioning, breathing capacity, to ascertain the age in order to guide the doctor. Therefore, it is a norm for every pregnant woman to do an ultrasound”
“When we discovered that our rural communities don’t have these machines, we had to appeal to our funders for permission to procure the machines and they obliged us. We are merging Bakassi and Akpabuyo, the rest LGAs will get one each while one is reserved for referral. We hope to capture Bakassi in our next annual budget circle.
Meremikwu, who is a consultant pediatrician in the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), called on community leaders to report recurring deaths among pregnant women and children under five years to CHAMPS for necessary action aimed at addressing the root causes.
