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By Doris Obinna
Lagos State General Hospitals and Primary Health Centres are providing free antenatal care and child delivery services to pregnant women resident in the state as part of the rolled out relief measures announced by the state government following the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.
This, Lagos state government, said is to cushion the hardship being faced by residents.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the end of the state’s Security Council meeting on Monday, July 31, 2023, directed general hospitals and primary healthcare centres to offer free ante-natal care and child delivery services.
Also normal and cesarean section to expectant mothers was included as part of the announced relief measures to ease burden of the fuel subsidy removal on the people.
In a statement, the Director of Public Affairs, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, disclosed that the governor had earlier mentioned the free medical services was geared towards ensuring that the health of families are taken care of while easing them of the worry of financial constraints and increasing access to quality health care delivery in the state.
Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye who carried out a compliance monitoring visits regarding the directive to some state hospitals including the Ifako-Ijaiye and Isolo General Hospitals over the weekend, noted that the implementation of the free ante-natal care and child delivery services as directed by the Governor will help improve maternal and child health indices in Lagos.
Ogboye who expressed satisfaction at the level of compliance to the free ante-natal and child delivery services in hospitals visited, explained that Sanwo-Olu led-administration recognising the prime place of maternal and child health in the society thoughtfully issued the directive for free medical intervention to pregnant women to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal on expectant families.
In his words: “The governor recognised that the cost of ante-natal care and child delivery services would add to the burden of fuel subsidy removal on cost of living for expectant parents, and this is why the governor announced the free medical intervention as part of the rolled out measures to ease off the burden.
“I am impressed by the level of compliance to Mr. Governor’s free ante-natal and child delivery service directive at the health facilities visited. Having gone round the ANC clinics, post-delivery wards and baby nurseries at the Ifako-Ijaiye and Isolo General Hospitals, it is heartwarming to see the smiles on the faces of newly born and their parents.
“I would like to thank the management of these hospitals and the health workers for quickly putting in place modalities and carrying out the Governor’s directive to the letter, this is an indication that all government institution are in sync regarding the harsh reality of fuel subsidy removal and the intervention to ameliorate the suffering of citizens.”
