Soludo announces free antenatal, delivery care for expectant mothers
By Lucy Osuizigbo-Okechukwu
Gov. Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra on Tuesday launched free antenatal care and delivery for expectant mothers for the remaining period of his administration.
Soludo described the gesture as part of his government’s palliative measures to cushion the effect of hardship on Anambra people.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the launch took place at the Nnobi General Hospital in Idemili South Local Government Area.
The governor said that his administration was committed to ensuring unhindered access to health care, especially at the grassroots level.
“We have been renovating and equipping our hospitals.
“Over 300 health workers have been recruited and I recently approved the recruitment of additional 500 to work at the primary healthcare centres.
“We want to make medical services available to everyone and we have adopted telemedicine to ensure unlimited access to healthcare in the state.
“Under my watch as the governor, we will be implementing free antenatal care and delivery for pregnant women.
“But I employ you to give birth to the number of children you can take care of.
“Our goal is to prioritise the health of pregnant women and their unborn babies.
“I urge our health workers to give quality attention to our pregnant women at no cost,” Soludo said.
He further said that other interventions had been mapped out for civil servants, pensioners and households to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal.
“From now to December, all workers and pensioners will be paid N12,000 monthly, in addition to their salaries and pensions.
“Pensioners, who retired from 2018 to 2022, were not paid their gratuities but since we came in, we have cleared 2018 and 2019 gratuities.
“We started paying those who retired in 2020 and we will continue to pay.
“Part of the interventions is the distribution of bags of rice to 300,000 households and it will commence by the end of the month,” the governor said.
Also, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, said the free services would be implemented at all the government health facilities in the state.
He urged pregnant women in the state to take advantage of the governor’s kind gesture but cautioned health workers against the abuse of the opportunity.
“The governor’s good intention for pregnant woman should not be taken for granted.
“Any health worker found demanding money or diverting materials and drugs would face serious sanctions.
“We appeal to residents to help us monitor the exercise, if they discover any irregularity they should as a matter of urgency report to us so that we can address it,” Obidike said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by AbdulFatai Beki/Sam Oditah
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