The Commissioner for Health in Cross River State, Henry Ayuk, says deploying drone technology has improved access to essential medicines in remote communities, strengthening healthcare delivery across previously underserved and hard-to-reach areas.
Mr Ayuk, a medical doctor, disclosed this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Calabar on Wednesday.
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He said the government had leveraged drone technology to improve healthcare delivery and ensure equitable access across the state.
He explained that the innovation had expanded immunisation coverage and enabled efficient delivery of essential medicines and supplies to every nook and cranny of the state, including isolated and difficult terrains.
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According to the commissioner, the initiative, implemented in partnership with the delivery and logistics firm Zipline, is designed to serve more than 300 health facilities, especially those in riverine and mountainous areas with limited transportation access.
Zipline has had a similar partnership with the Kaduna and Bayelsa states.
“The use of drones has significantly improved healthcare delivery in Cross River, enhancing efficiency and responsiveness in the distribution of medical supplies to health facilities across diverse and challenging terrains.
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“Beyond faster deliveries to hard-to-reach areas, the system has reduced wastage and helped curb the circulation of counterfeit medicines, thereby strengthening the integrity and reliability of the state’s drug supply chain,” Mr Ayuk added.
Mr Ayuk said that Governor Bassey Otu’s administration had also introduced far-reaching initiatives to strengthen healthcare infrastructure, expand access, and improve the overall quality of medical services across the state.
He highlighted ongoing upgrades and renovations to no fewer than 100 primary healthcare centres across the state’s 18 local government areas, aimed at enhancing service delivery and improving access to basic healthcare.
He added that the government had designated some health facilities to serve specifically the elderly, children, and pregnant women, ensuring that vulnerable groups received focused, priority medical attention across the state.
According to him, several upgraded primary healthcare centres have been completed, while others are at advanced stages, reflecting steady progress in the government’s efforts to revitalise healthcare infrastructure and expand service coverage.
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He noted that dedicated facilities for elderly persons aged 65 and above, children under five years, and pregnant women were already operational in three local government areas and would be replicated statewide.
On disease control, Mr Ayuk said the government combined preventive and curative strategies, emphasising early detection, rapid response, and sustained public health interventions to minimise risks and effectively manage outbreaks across communities.
He emphasised that there had been a significant reduction in disease outbreaks due to increased focus on preventive measures, including public health education and awareness campaigns targeted at communities across the state.
He explained that authorities provided basic health education and maintained an effective surveillance system that ensured rapid response once cases were reported, helping to contain and mitigate the spread of diseases statewide.
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