As part of efforts to reduce maternal and child morbidity and mortality in Kwara State, the State Government has provided free delivery kits for pregnant women in 193 Primary Health Care Facilities, restating its commitment to the provision of quality and affordable health care service delivery across the State irrespective of geographical locations.
The Executive Secretary, Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Prof. Nusirat Elelu, disclosed this while addressing Newsmen over the weekend, in her office.
Prof. Elelu noted that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s administration prioritizes the health of women and children, thus, it will continue to ensure pregnancy and childbirth remain safe for women and children, adding that this is coming as the State is making available free delivery kits across all 193-apex Primary Health Care (PHC) centres in each ward in Kwara State.
The Executive Secretary stressed that the provision of clean delivery kits is an essential initiative that addresses a critical need within our communities, noting that access to clean and hygienic delivery materials is not only a matter of healthcare but also a fundamental right that every expectant mother deserves and the availability of these kits to pregnant women is a crucial step towards improving maternal and infant health outcomes in our State.
Prof. Elelu reiterated that the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency is aware of the challenges faced by expectant mothers, particularly those from underserved communities, such as lack of access to basic healthcare supplies which contributes to preventable complications during childbirth.
The Executive Secretary emphasised that this initiative emanated from the State Government and supported by the World Bank IMPACT project, with the aim of prioritizing the provision of essential resources in order to bridge the gaps and promote positive health outcomes in Kwara State.
Prof. Elelu stated that the benefitting PHCs are only allowed to charge a maximum of Two Thousand Naira (₦2,000) Only for other expenses while patients covered under Kwara Health Insurance are exempted from paying the sum, revealing that a toll-free line has also been launched and would be made widely available in all our PHCs to report sharp practices and for grievance redress mechanism.
In his remark, the Programme Manager of the IMPACT Project, Dr Michael Oguntoye, lauded the initiative, restating that investing in maternal and child healthcare can lead to long-term cost savings by reducing the need for costly interventions and treatments for preventable conditions.
“By ensuring the health and well-being of mothers and children, Nigeria can improve productivity and contribute to economic growth. The provision of free kits for mother and baby care at birth will improve health outcomes, reduce healthcare disparities and promote economic growth, while also upholding human rights and dignity especially for the less privilege”, he added.
Dr Oguntoye said one of the objectives of IMPACT project is to improve maternal and child outcomes in the country, noting that these efforts include revitalization of health facilities, demand generation, capacity building for human resource for health and community linkage amongst others.
The free delivery kits will be made available in all the 193 Basic Health Care Provision Fund/IMPACT supported health facilities in the State.
