The Ekiti State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, says the state health ministry will work closely with the Federal Health Ministry to enforce a free Caesarean Section (S-C) for all expecting mothers.
Dr. Filani said this development will boost maternal healthcare services in public facilities in the state as he lauded the Federal Government’s policy of free C-S.
While flagging the off-refresher training of frontline health workers under the aegis of Ekiti State Health Vanguards on Monday, he made this declaration.
The training aims to improve the competency of healthcare workers in the state.
The chairman of the Forum of Health Commissioners of Nigeria, Dr. Filani, said, “We will work closely with the Minister of Health, Prof. Mohammed Pate, to ensure that the free CS programme is delivered.”
On 7 November, The New Daily Prime reported that the Health Minister, Prof. Pate, announced that C-S will be free for all Nigerian mothers, aims to reduce the child mortality rate in Nigeria.
Addressing the health worker, he said, this development will lessen pressure on citizens while recounting the existing state Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHPF).
Highlighting the benefit, he noted that the Federal Government declaration and implementation will be a plus to the state ministry.
“It gives us more resources to cover additional services that people might need.
Adding that, “So we look forward to working closely with the National Health Insurance Agency, the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, and the Federal Ministry of Health on this laudable initiative that President Bola Tinubu has put together.”
Marking it official kickoff of the Health Vanguards programme, he acknowledged the programme as a grassroots sensitisation and health promotion, noting that primary healthcare services in the state were free.
For community outreach and knowledge sharing, Dr. Filani said the event aims to address the issue of “prompt diagnosis and treatment as a key to reducing the severity of malaria and preventing its spread in Ekiti State.”
“They will also aid with sensitising pregnant women on the benefits of patronising the health facilities and urge them to visit health facilities for antenatal care,” Dr. Filani noted.
Additionally, he said, “They are to serve as a link between the people and health facilities, mainly the primary healthcare facilities, thus bringing in more people to come and enjoy the services that the Governor Biodun Oyebanji administration has put in place.
“We want to ensure that every pregnant woman in Ekiti State has access to safe delivery in our PHCs. Our goal is to encourage pregnant women to come to the facilities and also to ensure that people who have malaria can be treated safely and effectively in our communities.”
Ayodele Alegbeleye, Project Director for Solina Health under the IMPACT Project, stated that the aim is to deliver healthcare services directly to beneficiaries across Ekiti State.
He explained that two Health Vanguards are assigned to each of the 177 wards, ensuring free services, including maternal care, through programs like the BHPF or Ulerawa, available at all 177 primary health centres.
