Training future nurses in Cross River just got easier, as Governor Bassey Otu has handed over brand new 32-seater buses to the Colleges of Nursing and Midwifery Sciences in Itigidi-Abi, Calabar, and Ogoja.
The vehicles are expected to ease mobility for students who spend most of their training outside the classroom.
Speaking during the presentation at the Governor’s Office, Calabar, Governor Otu said the donation underscores his administration’s renewed commitment to preventive healthcare and the training of the next generation of health professionals.
“We discovered that the only way to cut costs is to make sure our people stay healthy because prevention is cheaper than cure, and we are committed to strengthening that approach,” the governor stated.
He further disclosed plans to establish a “medical village” in one of the northern senatorial district hospitals, designed to improve access to quality care while serving as a training hub for nurses and doctors.
Governor Otu assured that training and retraining of health professionals will remain a priority, while promising to strengthen the State Health Insurance Scheme to make healthcare more affordable and reduce out-of-pocket expenses.
Receiving the buses on behalf of the institutions, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Ayuk, described the gesture as “empirical evidence” of the administration’s commitment to health sector reforms.
He recalled that a few years ago, Cross River had only one accredited training institution—the College of Nursing at Itigidi. Today, with the governor’s vision and support, the state now has four fully accredited colleges.
“This is not because there was excess money, but because the governor challenged us to prove to the world what can be achieved with the little we have,” Ayuk said.
The commissioner explained that about 80 percent of nursing and midwifery training takes place outside the classroom, making mobility critical.
He expressed gratitude to the governor, assuring that the buses would be used strictly for their intended purpose.
The commissioner also appealed for similar interventions in other institutions, particularly the College of Nursing in Obudu, stressing that such support would further expand training opportunities and strengthen the state’s healthcare workforce.
