The APHPN Golden President, Prof. Alphonsus Isara arrived Calabar, Cross River State (CRS) from Oron, Akwa Ibom State at 6pm on the 7th May, 2024. He checked into his well secured hotel accommodation immediately for his night rest. The next day, 8th May, 2024, he had seventy-nine minutes meeting (8:46am to 10:05am) with some APHPN CRS branch members. During the meeting, the APHPN CRS branch Chairman, Dr. Obaji E. O. Akpet, welcomed the Golden President to CRS and thanked him for finding time to visit the branch as President (reminding him that the last time he was in Calabar on an official duty was in 2012 when CRS hosted the 28th APHPN AGM/Scientific Conference, which he was the National Secretary General then). Dr. Akpet enumerated the achievements, challenges and prospects of the branch since his Exco came on board late 2019.
Responding, the Golden President expressed his gratitude to CRS branch members for their reception and thanked all members who made out time to attend the early morning meeting with him. He acknowledged the leadership of the branch for being debt-free to the National body (Capitation and Journal payments). He informed the members that CRS branch was the sixteenth State branch on his official visit list. He expressed his love for the structure of the Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, UCTH (venue of the meeting). He also observed that, members of APHPN CRS branch were mainly Doctors of UCTH extraction, which he said should not be so. He urged the Exco to do more to get APHPN members outside UCTH to be involved in the branch activities.
The Golden President, Prof Isara took members down memory lane how APHPN evolved from ACPN, the activities of APHPN since the inception of his tenure which are well displayed on the APHPN website. He encourages everyone to visit the website, drive the traffic to the website and send in the activities of APHPN Cross River State branch to be uploaded there. He also encouraged members to patronize the APHPN Journal by sending their articles for publication in that Journal. The Golden President also informed members about the activities of the 50th anniversary which took place in March this year in Akure, Ondo State (and explained why he was addressed as the “Golden President”). He also enumerated the opportunities and benefits that are available and awaits all members who take interest in APHPN activities (both local and National).
Highlights of the meeting included: questions and answers section, presentation of the Golden Jubilee magazine to the Head of the Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Dr Afiong Oku, two Elders in the Department; Elder Dr. Bassey Maundy Ikpeme and Dr. Edet E. Edet and distribution of APHPN newsletter to all members in attendance.
At the end of the meeting, the Golden President paid a condolence visit to the family of late Prof. Wilfred Okey Ndifon, where he also presented a condolence purse to the wife of late Prof. Ndifon. He also visited High Chief Dr. Emmanuel N. Nsan OFR, who had been ill and also presented a token to him.Later in the evening, some members of the branch had a seat out with the Golden President. The visit ended with a prayer by Elder Dr. Ikpeme. The Golden President Departed Calabar on Friday, 10th May, 2024, after attending the NMA ADM.
