The Delta State Government has warned that any officer found collecting money from pregnant women and children under five in state hospitals will face sanctions beginning January 2026.
The Director-General of the Delta State Contributory Health Commission, Dr Isaac Akpoveta, issued the warning on Tuesday at a press conference in Asaba.
He said the directive aims to check the practices of doctors and health officers who demand payments from pregnant women and children under five before accessing healthcare in government hospitals and health centres across the state.
Dr Akpoveta noted that the new policy guarantees free treatment for all pregnant women from conception to delivery, including caesarean sections, as well as for children under five.
He added that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori had instructed that all medical doctors and officers in charge of state hospitals and primary healthcare centres (PHCs) be trained on the policy to ensure its full implementation.
“The state government is committed to saving lives, and maternal and child mortality has drastically dropped under this administration,” Akpoveta said.
He highlighted that the commission has deployed an ICT-based monitoring system—the first of its kind in Nigeria—to ensure accountability and transparency in healthcare delivery for enrolls.
According to Akpoveta, the commission has also designed an award scheme to recognize facilities that perform well, while erring officers found collecting fees will be sanctioned starting next year.
He added that the government has approved over N3.5 billion for the scheme this year to advance Universal Health Coverage, and appealed to wealthy individuals and private organizations to support the programme by purchasing health insurance for vulnerable and less privileged citizens, with premiums starting from N7,000 per individual per year.
Since its establishment in January 2017, the Delta State Health Insurance Scheme has grown from 1.3 million to over 2.7 million enrolls as of December 2025. With more than 350 agents registering enrolls daily across the state, the scheme remains the largest in Nigeria.
“Every three months, the commission trains doctors and health officers on the new government policy, particularly that treatment for pregnant women and children under five is free. The elderly and vulnerable persons, including the physically challenged, also receive free treatment,” he said.
Dr Akpoveta explained that all enrolls under the State Health Insurance Scheme will not pay any fees for services in state facilities, with ICT-based facial identification ensuring that the right patients receive care.
He added that all medical bills and medication details are transmitted electronically to the commission immediately from each facility, which monitors over 530 state and private health units across Delta and other states.
“By 2026, we aim to manage existing funds efficiently and reduce disease burdens such as typhoid and malaria by about 80 per cent across the state,” Akpoveta said.
In a reaction, Mr Ifeoma Ekpo, an officer in charge of a PHC in Ika North Local Government, said the training had familiarized them with the new government policy. She pledged, on behalf of other officers, to comply with the rules and not demand payments from pregnant women, children under five, or enrolls of the health insurance scheme.
