The Commissioner for Health in Cross River State, Henry Egbe Ayuk, in this interview, reflects on his philosophy of leadership and governance, offering insights into the challenges and opportunities facing Cross River State and the Ministry. He discusses issues ranging from infrastructure, housing for healthcare workers and sustainability to politics, medical doctors, nursing students’ development and the future of the People’s Paradise City, while outlining his vision for building more resilient and medically-equipped healthcare institutions, inclusive and nationally competitive. BLESSING ADIMABUA brings the excerpts:
What can you say is the overall achievement of the Ministry of Health in Cross River State in the last three years?
Well, to have a better understanding of what the governor has done expressively is to have an idea of how the system works and how the health sector worked when he came and what it is now so that you will be able to have some understanding of what he has done. Let me start with the physical allocation for the health sector, because without funding you cannot do anything. We came in and met a grossly under-staffed Health sector. Then, the physical allocation, the financial performance even from public allocation for healthcare was far below five percent and less than five percent of the total budgetary allocation was allocated which was far below national target of 15 percent. Today, as I speak to you the allocation has risen to over 10 percent but we are not there yet at 15 percent which is the target nationally.
