C-River Govt Defends Health Sector Record, Faults CNPP Criticism

CALABAR – The Cross River State Government has defended its record in the health sector, citing ongoing rehabilitation and modernisation projects across health facilities as evidence of its commitment to improving healthcare delivery in the state.

The government’s position followed criticism by the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) over the state of some health facilities, with the Ministry of Health dismissing the claims as a misrepresentation of ongoing interventions.

In a statement signed by Information Officer, Cross River State Ministry of Health, Kingsley Agim, the government said the administration of Governor Bassey Edet Otu, inherited challenges in the health sector but had embarked on deliberate reforms aimed at rebuilding healthcare infrastructure.

Agim said the rehabilitation of the Lawrence Henshaw Memorial Hospital in Calabar was among the interventions being implemented by the administration, noting that the facility suffered major destruction during the 2020 #EndSARS violence.

He explained that while some sections of the hospital were still undergoing renovation, other parts had already been completed, including the Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory within the hospital complex.

“The fully rehabilitated Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory within the Lawrence Henshaw Memorial Hospital complex has been restored and re-equipped to strengthen tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment in the state,” Agim stated.

The Ministry of Health also highlighted improvements in primary healthcare, saying more than 100 Primary Healthcare Centres across the 18 local government areas had received attention under the current administration.

According to the statement, the interventions were designed to bring healthcare services closer to rural communities that had previously faced limited access.

Beyond primary healthcare, the government said it was also upgrading secondary healthcare facilities, including the General Hospital, Calabar, through digitalisation of services, improved patient record management, internet connectivity and automation of hospital operations.

The statement added that the government had installed medical oxygen production infrastructure to ensure steady oxygen supply for critical care services.

It further noted that oxygen facilities had also been constructed at General Hospital, Ogoja, while another facility at Ikom Children Clinic was awaiting commissioning.

The government also disclosed that rehabilitation efforts were ongoing at General Hospital, Obudu, which it said had been abandoned for more than 10 years before its recovery.

The Ministry said the interventions were part of a broader strategy to reposition the health sector rather than focusing on isolated projects.

“These are measurable interventions, not political slogans,” Agim said, arguing that rebuilding the health system required “careful planning, phased execution and prudent resource management.”

The government maintained that healthcare was one of several sectors receiving attention, alongside infrastructure, education, security, agriculture and other areas of development.

It urged stakeholders to assess government performance based on available evidence and ongoing projects rather than isolated claims.

The Ministry reiterated that the administration remained committed to improving healthcare delivery and restoring public confidence in the state’s health system.