The Ogun Government has said it is targeting at least 15,000 expectant mothers to benefit from its free delivery program, tagged “Ibidero” (meaning: safe delivery).
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the new scheme in Abeokuta on Friday.
Coker said the program was initiated “to improve the state’s maternal mortality index.”
She said the initiative was the state’s health insurance scheme targeted at vulnerable, indigent pregnant women in the 20 local government areas.
She said that through the program, the enrollees would have access to free maternal health services at their assigned health centers, which would reduce the risk of complications during or after pregnancy.
She revealed that “Ibidero” was designed to include a conditional cash transfer, where the pregnant women captured in the program would get a stipend after delivery at their assigned health facilities.
According to her, each beneficiary would be registered in hospitals within walking distance of their homes.
“Last year, 3,000 pregnant women benefited from the pilot phase of the program.
“As a consequence, Gov. Dapo Abiodun has graciously approved the scaling up of the program to 15,000 beneficiaries,” she said.
Coker further said that about 300 public and private health facilities at the primary and secondary levels had been registered for the program.
She also said the gesture by the government would contribute to a significant reduction in cases of maternal mortality, occasioned by “extreme economic vulnerability” in the state.
“One of the indices by which the overall status of the healthcare system of a country or state is assessed is its maternal mortality rate.
“According to the World Health Organization, the maternal rate in Nigeria stands at 917 deaths per 100,000 live births, making us the fourth highest globally.
“It is worth noting that most of these deaths are preventable, but according to reports, only 40 percent of all births in the country take place in a health facility.
“The implication of this is that most of our pregnant women are at the mercy of traditional birth attendants and faith homes, among others, during their pregnancy and delivery.
“That’s why, I believe, this initiative is quite timely,” the commissioner said.
She said that the cash transfer innovation of the program was conceived as an additional incentive to ensure that the women attend antenatal care regularly and deliver at the assigned hospital.
She gave assurance that the present administration was committed to providing affordable, quality, and accessible healthcare for all.
