Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo has assured Ndi Anambra that the ongoing free Antenatal Care and Delivery Services across the state will be continued till further notice.
Gov. Soludo gave the assurance while launching the free antenatal care and delivery for expectant mothers, saying that the exercise will be continued for the remaining period of his administration.
He described the gesture as part of his government’s palliative measures to cushion the effect of hardship on the public.
The launching was held at the Nnobi General Hospital, 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.
“No fewer than 300 health workers have been recruited and I recently approved the recruitment of additional 500 health workers 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.’’
The governor urged health workers to give quality attention to pregnant women at no cost.
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,’’ he said.
Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, assured the public that 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.
Dr. Obidike advised health workers to ensure that the governor’s good intentions for pregnant women are implemented.
Idemili South Transition Committee Chairman, Mrs. Amaka Obi commended the governor for his good gestures to Ndi Anambra.
In attendance during the event include, Commissioners for Work, Culture and Entertainment, Executive Secretary State Primary Healthcare and Directors from the State Ministry of Health, among others.
