The Cross River State Government says it is committed towards achieving the lowest minimum rate of maternal and child mortality in the rural areas.

To this effect, it is keeping fate with its new policy of providing at least one functional primary health care centre per ward across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.

Director General of the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency (CRSPHCDA), Dr Betta Edu, at the commissioning of a health post in Akamkpa Local Government Area urged the community to fully utilize the facility and shun prayer houses as well as traditional birth attendants.

Commissioning the brand new facility, complete with a solar panel and access to power, Dr Edu said government strongly discourages other means of giving birth besides the hospital.

She spoke on measures the state government has come up with to entice women into accepting the modern form of deliveries.

Some mothers at the Commissioning who either gave birth through the aid of traditional birth attendants and prayer houses said they are now better informed to have their next deliveries in the hospitals and expressed gratitude for the gesture.

The project was executed in collaboration with international partners.