FG Covid-19 Accreditation Team Commends C' River Efforts; Inaugurates State Accreditation Team

The Honorable Commissioner for Health Cross River State, Dr Betta Edu has inaugurated the State COVID-19 Accreditation Committee. This was done during the visit of PTF/ Federal Ministry of Health Covid-19 Accreditation Team on Tuesday at Ministry of Health Headquarters, Calabar.

According to her the State Accreditation Committee will work with the Federal Accreditation Committee to inspect public and private treatment centers, Isolation and Testing centres .This she said was in accordance to strict infectious disease management protocols, in order to increase capacity for COVID-19 isolation and treatment nationwide and also to protect health workers from harm.

Dr Edu thanked The Minister for Health and PTF for the continuos technical support and response especially in helping the State improve on contact tracing, case management, risk communication, infection, prevention and control ( IPC) measures. She informed the visitors that the State had provided training guidelines and other SOP to enhance capacity of the frontline health workers to manage the novel disease. As testing Capacity is expanded we must expand on all our Isolation and treatment centers in the state will adopting cost effective measures to care for patients

Earlier Speaking, the team lead by a Consultant Public Health Specialist Teaching Hospital Irrua, Dr Ekaete Tobin commended Cross River State Covid-19 effective response and prevention saying it's one of the best in the country. She said it was vital for more laboratories to be accredited as soon as they go through the rigorous validation process set by NCDC.

“This is to avoid monopoly,” Tobin explained, while reminding members of the public that the state’s public testing centres “are still free and accessible to all citizens.” She noted that the team  has accredited the Adiabo Isolation Center, and the  UCTH Isolation center. Further accreditation for Isolation centers or treatment centers and monitoring will be done by the state team inaugurated by the Honorable Commissioner for Health.

Members of the Cross River State Accreditation Team inaugurated includes, Dr Itam Essien, Director of Medical Services, Dr David Ushie, chairman, Case Management Pillar, Dr Etcheri Ansa, State IPC Pillar Head DG SACA, Mrs Inyang Ekpenyong, State Epidemiologist, Dr Echeng Imoke; IPC VICE Chairman, Mrs Bridget Nakanda, Mrs Ekaete Obase and Dr Ubong Udoh UCTH. others are Dr Iwara DPH and Consultant From Neuropsychiatric Hospital 

The first batch of Health workers posted to the Adiabor Isolation center had another IPC retraining with the team and several practical sessions aimed at proper management of patients.