By James Orji
Okezie Ikpeazu, governor of Abia state has promised pregnant women in the state N500 when they deliver in any government hospital. The amount is not enough to buy a pack of diaper.
But the state’s helmsman said the amount will go a long way in alleviating the problems of the mothers, particularly as it will help in transporting them home after delivery.
Ikpeazu told Channels Television that it is not cheap to provide portable health care service in the south east state.
According to him, “Abia State has keyed into the basic health insurance for pregnant women. If you put to bed in any of our primary healthcare centres, you get N500.
“Delivery is free; they give you a delivery pack and they give N500 which is running for the vulnerable members of the society.”
The governor, who further defended the move, said it is targeted at vulnerable and poor people and that the delivery pack contains items needed to take care of newborn babies.
“But if you want a certain level of medicare, you should be able to pay,” Ikpeazu noted, adding: “Are you asking a poor woman what she will do with N500? Some people don’t have it. At least it will pay their way back home,” the governor said.
