The Wife of the Cross River State Governor, Bishop Eyoanwan Bassey Otu, has officially flagged off the 2026 Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Week, reaffirming the state's commitment to improving healthcare outcomes for mothers, newborns and children across the 18 local government areas of the state.
The week-long exercise, organized by the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency (CRSPHCDA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and development partners, is designed to provide critical and life-saving health interventions to thousands of residents. The programme is scheduled to run from June 11 to June 15 across the state.
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony in Calabar, Bishop Otu called on parents, caregivers and community leaders to take full advantage of the free health services being offered, describing the initiative as a strategic investment in the future of Cross River families and communities.
According to her, the programme remains one of the most effective public health interventions aimed at reducing maternal and child mortality while improving access to essential healthcare services.
She emphasized that all services provided during the exercise are free, safe and accessible, stressing that healthy mothers and children remain the foundation for a prosperous society.
The health campaign will provide routine immunization for children between zero and 15 months, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination for nine-year-old girls, iron and folic acid supplements for pregnant women, multiple micronutrient supplements, malaria prevention medication for expectant mothers, as well as HIV and Tuberculosis screening, testing and counselling services.
Also speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Ayuk, said the state's healthcare outreach programmes have continued to deliver positive results by bringing essential services directly to communities.
He noted that healthcare interventions championed by the administration of Governor Bassey Otu have significantly improved service delivery, revealing that the state recorded approximately 400,000 outpatient visits in health facilities in 2025 alone.
Ayuk urged parents and guardians to ensure that eligible children receive vaccines and other health services during the exercise, while also calling for stronger community participation to expand healthcare coverage across the state.
The MNCH Week initiative targets children under five years, pregnant women and adolescent girls, particularly those in rural and underserved communities, with the aim of reducing preventable deaths and improving overall health outcomes.
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