Delta Govt denies stopping Free Maternal/ Child healthcare Programme

—–By Unue Emeka————-

 

The Delta State Government has dismissed reports making the rounds in the social media alleging that Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa led government has stopped the free maternal and child healthcare programme initiated by the past administration as not only false but misleading.

 

In a release issued and signed by the Media Assistant to the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Sam Ijeh, he stated that the government free Mother and Child medical care programme in Delta State is ongoing in Okowa’s administration.

 

According to Mr Ijeh, “Governor Okowa has not only continued the free programme under his administration, he has also made it sustainable to last beyond his administration through the Delta State Health Insurance Scheme where the governor signed the Law that 0.5% of the State Consolidated revenue should be used to pay for the healthcare service of all pregnant women, children under 5 years, the elderly over 65 years and the Physically and Mentally Challenged residents of Delta State.

 

He also added that on the purported cancellation of the free cesarean section for delivering mothers, he reaffirmed that the programme is still on and has been extended to the Primary Healthcare facilities along with the Free Mother and Child healthcare programme.

 

Ijeh added that under the past administration, the programme was restricted to General Hospitals, which in most cases far away from most rural communities.

 

He explained that Okowa’s administration has extended the free programme to Primary Healthcare Centers across the state to make the programme more accessible to those in the villages and other rural communities.

 

In his words: “Over 60,000 pregnant women and children under-five years are currently receiving free treatment in several accredited hospitals across Delta State.”