The Cross River State Government has officially launched a health project, the European Union Support to Immunization Governance in Nigeria, (EU SIGN) project, in Calabar, the state capital.

According to the Deputy Governor of the State, Professor Ivara Esu, the health initiative has contributed greatly to the eradication of many preventable deaths among pregnant women and children, under the ages of five.

Immunization of children has over many decades, served as a single most important way parents can protect their children from serious diseases. This perhaps, underscores the reason why the Cross River state government is leaving no stone unturned, towards ensuring that vaccines are readily available at health centres across the state, where women can take their children to, for immunization.

The deputy governor expressed gratitude to the EU team, for all the support it has given to immunization governance in the state, which includes providing equipment and facilities to care for the vulnerable across the 18 local government areas of the state. He also re-iterated the government’s effort to continue offering effective health care to women and children, especially those in the rural communities.

The Mr Esu who represented the governor, further appealed to the EU to complete all on-going projects in the state.

Head of EU delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr Michel Arrion, equally commended the Cross River state government for the commitment shown from the inception of the project since 2011 to its winding down in 2018. The EU had earmarked over 60 million Euros for the project, which according to him has been worth it.

Also speaking, the Director General of the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Betta Edu, sued for the full implementation of the ‘primary healthcare under one roof’ initiative, to enhance service delivery to the people.