By Austin Ogwuda
DELTA State Government is setting in motion plans to checkmate the influx of pregnant women into the State who come to take advantage of its free healthcare for pregnant women and children under five years.
Director General of the State Contributory Health Commission, Dr Isaac Akpoveta raised the alarm during a sensitization training on the modified policy document of the State Health Insurance Scheme for key Stakeholders in Asaba on Tuesday.
He lamented that the influx of non resident pregnant women into the State was distorting the State statistics for pregnant women in the State noting that the State government was spending much to pay for the equity health plan for pregnant women and children under five years mainly meant for those residing in Delta State.
According to him, “Delta is the only State in the Federation where a pregnant woman walks in and receives care without paying a Kobo from antenatal to delivery either by cesarean section or through any other ways.
And because of that, people are now using Delta State as a pilgrimage area for delivery. They come all the way from Port Harcourt, Enugu and other neighbouring States.
“They just troop in, but we have to stop this because it is distorting our statistics. Now, for you to benefit, you must prove that you are a resident of Delta State. The Law says all residents in Delta, whether you are non Indigenes provided you are residing in Delta, you will benefit from the free healthcare for pregnant women and children under five years”, he clarified.
The Delta State Contributory Health Commission Director General who hinted that the commission had enrolled over 2.5 million persons so far, including those under the Equity Health Plan, explained that the modified policy document of the scheme was designed to serve patients better with quality healthcare in line with global best practice.
Apart from making it compulsory for all zonal and major health facilities to create health insurance units, he went on, the Commission had deployed agents to all pharmacy sections across its accredited public and private hospitals to ensure that that drugs prescribed for patients are dispensed accordingly.
