As part of the rolled-out relief measures announced by the State Government to ease the hardship being experienced by residents as a result of the removal of fuel subsidies by the Federal Government, pregnant women living in Lagos State are currently receiving free antenatal care and child delivery services from Lagos State General Hospitals and Primary Health Centers.
Recall that as part of the relief measures announced to lessen the burden of the removal of the fuel subsidy on Lagosians, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, directed general hospitals and primary health care centers to provide free antenatal care and child delivery services, including normal and cesarean section, to expectant mothers on Monday, July 31, 2023.
Earlier, Governor Sanwo-Olu had stated that his order directing the Lagos State Government-owned primary and secondary health facilities to provide free medical services was intended to ensure that families’ health needs are met while allaying concerns about financial limitations and enhancing access to high-quality health care in Lagos State.
Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, noted that the implementation of the free antenatal care and child delivery services as directed by the Governor will help improve maternal and child health indices in Lagos during compliance monitoring visits he conducted over the weekend at some State hospitals, including the Ifako-Ijaiye and Isolo General Hospitals.
Ogboye said the Governor Sanwo-Olu led administration thoughtfully issued the directive for free medical intervention to pregnant women to mitigate the effects of the removal of fuel subsidies on expectant families.
He expressed satisfaction at the level of compliance with the free ante-natal and child delivery services in the hospitals he visited.
Ogboye added that Governor Sanwo-Olu’s urgent priority order for the free medical intervention effort is to cover the cost of antenatal care, including the cost of registration and ANC clinics as well as standard and cesarean section child birth services.
The Permanent Secretary pointed out that the State Government’s effort to achieve universal health coverage is consistent with the free health intervention, which aims to enhance access to high-quality maternal and child health services.
In order to ensure that no one is left behind in the effort to ensure access to health care delivery services in fulfillment of the UHC goal, he continued, the Lagos State Government has over the years been putting in place various health strategies and initiatives geared toward providing assistance to the poor and less privileged members of society who require health care services but cannot afford the cost.
Ogboye assured citizens that pregnant women who are registered at the Lagos State Government primary and secondary health facilities for ante-natal care services would benefit from the free medical intervention until it is discontinued while reiterating the commitment of the current administration to the provision of access to quality and effective health care services.
He also revealed that the State Government has recommitted to implementing initiatives aimed at reducing and eliminating maternal, child, and infant mortality as well as generally enhancing all measures of maternal and child health.
In the same vein, Dr. Bamidele Mustapha, Medical Director of Ifako-Ijaiye General Hospital, reported that the hospital complied with the free health intervention almost right away, with no less than 30 people already benefiting from free antenatal and child delivery services, including caesarean sections, at no cost to the beneficiaries.
Bamidele continued by saying that the State Government has been very supportive and committed to the welfare and well-being of mothers and children, particularly with regard to the delivery of high-quality, effective, and easily accessible health services in the State.
She added that the availability of free antenatal services had made people happy who had previously been unable to afford the cost of delivery.
Mrs. Oluwademilade Mustapha, a recipient of the free child delivery service at the Ifako-Ijaiye General Hospital who gave birth to a boy via caesarian section, praised the State Government’s initiative for providing free medical care.
She expressed her gratitude to the medical personnel that had cared for her, emphasizing that, in contrast to her pre-hospital perception, the nurses’ attitudes were wonderful.
Another recipient, Mrs. Eniola Samuel, who gave birth to a boy at the General Hospital, expressed gratitude to God and the hospital’s medical staff for preserving her life from the difficulties she had during labor.
She expressed her gratitude for the excellent free medical care she received.
Samuel remarked that the intervention helped save her life while thanking the governor of Lagos State for launching the project.
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