Anambra moves to stop payments for family planning services

ANAMBRA State Commissioner for Health, Vincent Okpala, has decried the unnecessary collection of user fees for family planning services at  health centers across the state.

   Dr Okpala, disclosed this at the second Anambra State Media Roundtable for Family Planning, organised by  ‘The Challenge Initiative and Devcoms’ at Eastend Hotel,Awka, with theme ‘Strengthening Quality Family Service Delivery in PHCs in Anambra State.

The commissioner, who was represented by the Director of Public Health and Disease Control, Anambra State, Dr. Uche Onyejimbe, stressed that access to family planning in the state is free as basic health care provision fund is made available for the consumables needed.

He warned that disciplinary sanction will be taken against health workers, who may be found extorting money from citizens.

Contributing, Executive Secretary, Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ASPHCDA), Chioma Ezenyimulu, represented by the Director, Community Health Services, ASPHCDA, Dr  Frank Umeh, Anambra State Government has improved the quality of healthcare delivery with the recruitment of 60  midwives across different healthcare facilities in the state.

They said that the recruitment was part of the government’s efforts to increase the level of manpower and alleviate sufferings of the people towards gaining quality healthcare services

  Dr. Ezenyimulu emphasised that thorough trainings and orientation were carried out on the newly recruited mid-wives to checkmate their competency in rendering quality medical services, adding that

60 primary health care centers are currently undergoing renovation by the state government as there has been upsurge in demand for service uptake in family planning services in primary health care centres across the state.

 Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Ministry Of Health, Edith Nwachukwu assured that consistent aggressive media campaign and sensitisation will be activated to enable parents, as well as youths know the need for accessing family planning services.

  She said the state government had also taken into consideration the need to  create disabled- friendly environment at various PHCs, so that family planning will be accessible to all.