Williams Akpan, Calabar
Patients receiving treatment for tuberculosis, HIV and other medical conditions in Cross River State are expected to benefit from improved healthcare services following the donation of 14 units of 1HP Panasonic inverter air conditioners by the Excellence Community Education Welfare Scheme (ECEWS) to selected public health facilities.
The equipment was officially presented on Thursday at the Ministry of Health headquarters in Calabar as part of ECEWS’ continuing support for the state’s healthcare system.
Speaking during the presentation, the State Director of ECEWS, Dr. Joe Umana, explained that the intervention was designed to improve the storage conditions of temperature-sensitive medicines and enhance the working environment in pharmacies and laboratories.
“We are doing this to ensure an integrated system of healthcare delivery in Cross River State. We discovered that some pharmacies and laboratories were not conducive for storing medicines used in the treatment of TB and HIV. These air conditioners will help preserve the quality of those medicines and improve service delivery,” Umana said.
Umana noted that maintaining the correct storage temperature is critical to preserving the effectiveness of essential medicines and laboratory supplies used in treating patients.
According to the distribution plan, General Hospital Calabar will receive four units, while Obanliku General Hospital and Okundi Cottage Hospital will each receive three units.
Ogoja General Hospital, Akamkpa General Hospital, Ogoja Comprehensive Medical Centre and Eja Memorial Hospital in Abi Local Government Area will each receive one unit.
ECEWS said the new inverter air conditioners would complement the solar power systems earlier installed in the beneficiary health facilities, providing more reliable conditions for healthcare delivery.
Receiving the equipment on behalf of the Cross River State Government, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk, thanked ECEWS for its consistent support towards improving healthcare infrastructure across the state.
“We are indeed grateful for this continued partnership. On behalf of His Excellency, Governor Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, I assure you that these air conditioners will be properly deployed, monitored and safeguarded to enhance healthcare service delivery across the beneficiary facilities,” Ayuk said.
The commissioner also directed directors and programme managers to maintain detailed records of all donor-supported projects, stressing accountability, proper documentation and effective monitoring, while assuring that adequate security would be provided to protect the equipment and ensure it serves patients for many years.
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