Days after Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, publicly said he gives N500 to women who deliver at Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in the state, a cross-section of women who spoke to Daily Trust dismissed the claim as “political talk”.
The governor’s comments generated reactions in the state as members of opposition parties took to the social media to express dismay over the comments, with his media aide having a difficult time trying to fine-tune what he said.
The governor had said the state-operated a free delivery policy and that a N500 take-home package was given to every woman who delivered in any of the 687 PHCs across the 17 LGAs as an initiative of the basic health insurance for pregnant women because resident doctors had been on strike over non-payment of salaries.
Gov Ikpeazu was quoted as saying, “Abia State has keyed into the basic health insurance for pregnant women. If you give birth in any of our centres, you get N500.
“Delivery is free; they give you a delivery pack and N500, which is running for the vulnerable members of the society.”
Asked what the N500 could do for the women, the governor said, “Free delivery; are you asking a poor woman, what will she do with N500? Some people don’t have it. At least it will pay their way back home.”
Following the issues raised by the governor, visits to some of the PHCs in the state left Daily Trust wondering if an animal could deliver in such facilities despite billions budgeted for the health sector in the state.
Daily Trust Saturday learnt that structures and environments of the PHCs in the villages of Isialangwa South, Ikwuano and some parts of Bende LGAs are forcing most patients to travel several kilometres to seek medical attention at the Federal Medical Center (FMC) in Umuahia, the state capital.
A pregnant woman in Bende said, “The structures are dilapidated and the environment is so bushy that patients prefer to travel for medical attention, and the staff no longer discharge their duties as patients are not visiting the hospital because of the dilapidated nature of the facility.’’
Some nursing mothers in Obi-Ebere community in Ikwuano LGA said they were not aware of such money and delivery pack by the government.
Mrs Ngozi Ihejirika said she delivered two weeks ago at the PHC in Obi-Ebere and that nothing was given to her.
Some of the nursing mothers who spoke to our correspondent said they would go back to the PHC and demand their N500, while others laughed at the amount of money the government said was giving them.
However, further findings by our correspondent revealed that the initiative was actually flagged off in a community in Obingwa LGA where the governor comes from and he was represented by his Commissioner for Health, but since then nothing has been heard about it.
Mrs Chineye Nwogu lamented why the state government —from the past administration – could abandon such health facilities.
She, therefore, pleaded for intervention, and reacting to the N500, she laughed and said her neighbour that gave birth went to the FMC, Umuahia, and that she heard her husband talking about N500 for pregnant women and thought it was a joke
A market woman, Nkechi Onuocha, said she watched the video on social media, and therefore expressed dismay why such utterances were coming from the governor, describing the situation as unfortunate.
A female secondary school teacher in Umuahia North LGA said the governor should set his priorities right, pay workers and pensioners the 18 months of unpaid salaries and pensions.
When our correspondent visited the Cottage Hospital, World Bank, Abayi Aba, he observed that the hospital had been abandoned with decayed facilities.
Reacting to the issue, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor, Barrister Onyebuchi Ememanka, through his official Facebook page, wrote:
“Leadership involves taking responsibility. The brouhaha generated by the interview Governor Okezie Ikpeazu had with Channels TV has reiterated the truism that in public communications every ‘T’ must be crossed and every ‘I’ dotted.
“Those who complain genuinely are of the opinion that the mention of the N500 was unnecessary. The mention of the N500 appeared to have overshadowed the other two, even more, important interventions enjoyed by the new mothers and mentioned by the governor. That part should have been tweaked a little. It’s OK.
“The interventions mentioned by the governor are not even inclusive of the free antenatal care and other forms of assistance these women receive prior to their delivery at our primary healthcare centres. These interventions are very well received by these women and they are truly grateful to the state government. As a result of these interventions, there has been a sharp reduction in new mother and newborn baby mortality rate in Abia State today, and we are among the first six with such a low mortality rate in the country today. This is verifiable.
“As a spokesman of the governor, if my boss shines in the media, I will enjoy a huge part of the accolades. Equally, if there are issues with our message in the media, I should accept the blame.
“So, please put the blame on me. It was entirely my fault. That is why the governor has me. I have also drawn valuable lessons from the episode which will further guide me in the days ahead.
“The advent of social media has made the job of the spokesman more challenging, especially in the political arena. This calls for even more tact on the part of the media manager.
“The political environment is very unforgiving, and no matter how well-intentioned an issue is, any slip in its presentation will lead to a deluge of attacks. This is true.”
