Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk (R), presenting one of the laptops to one of the participants.
By Kingsley Agim
World Bank has trained health workers in 196 health facilities across Cross River State on digital data management.
The three-day intensive training was preceded by the official handover of 196 laptops, ensuring that each Primary Health Care (PHC) center—one per political ward—received a device to facilitate the digitization of health records.
As part of efforts to strengthen health information management, the World Bank-assisted Immunization Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT) Project, trained Officers in Charge (OICs) and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Officers from 196 health facilities across the state.
Presenting the laptops to participants and health officials, recently, at the Kolanut Center in Calabar — venue for the training, Cross River State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk, commended the World Bank for supporting the initiative, describing it as a milestone in the transformation of the state’s PHC system.
Dr. Ayuk underscored the critical role of digitization in streamlining healthcare service delivery, improving efficiency, record accuracy, and patient management and urged beneficiaries to apply their newly acquired digital skills and ensure the laptops are used effectively to enhance PHC operations across the state.
Also speaking, the Director General of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Vivien Mesembe Otu, emphasized the significance of digital data management in modern healthcare.
A cross section of participants at the training.
She stated that the training and equipment distribution would eliminate data loss, positioning Cross River among the leading states in Nigeria with a digitized health information system.
Dr. Otu assured that the agency would implement strict monitoring and oversight measures to ensure that the laptops are deployed effectively and sustainably to enhance healthcare service delivery.
Earlier, IMPACT Project Manager, Dr. Paul Odey, reiterated the project’s commitment to expanding access to quality healthcare services, particularly in rural communities.
Represented by Dr. Bethel Ewung, Dr. Odey stressed that accurate data collection and management are fundamental to effective healthcare planning and service delivery. He expressed optimism that the training and the provision of laptops would help address critical gaps in health data management across the state.
Participants expressed confidence that the training and digital tools would revolutionize healthcare delivery at the PHC level, ensuring greater efficiency, improved patient care, and better health outcomes across the state.
The training held simultaneously at the three senatorial districts of the state — Calabar for South, Ikom for Central and Ogoja for North.