The Delta State Government has dismissed several health workers and demoted others for extorting money from pregnant women and children under five years, despite the state’s free healthcare policy.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Joseph Onojaeme, made this known on Saturday during the launch of the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation and Initiatives Project Action Plan at Ashaka, Ndokwa East Local Government Area.
Onojaeme said government monitoring revealed that some workers demanded illegal payments from patients, even though the state had already covered the cost of their treatment.
“The health workers in the state have actually done well, but you know that in every 12, there is Judas. There are several cases of fraud and malpractice among the health workers,” he said.
“We have received reports that some pregnant women and children under five visit our hospitals across the state, and some health workers will collect money from them for drugs. And at the same time, they will send the medical bills to the government to pay.”
The commissioner stressed that such behaviour was unacceptable since the government had fully paid for maternal and child healthcare.
“The state government is paying for all pregnant women and children under five to enjoy free healthcare. We have demoted some of these fraudulent health workers and sacked many within this short period,” he added.
He urged residents to report any case of extortion by hospital staff.
“Report any health worker immediately who collects money for the treatment of any child under five in any of our public hospitals. We run free treatment for pregnant women till delivery. The government is paying, and hospitals are not to collect money from them. We will make the phone number of the Executive Assistant to the Governor on health monitoring available, and when you see cases of demanding money from pregnant women, you should call the phone number immediately,” Onojaeme said.
Also speaking, the representative of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr John Ovuoraye, said the Federal Government would continue to support states in reducing maternal and neonatal deaths.
He revealed that 172 local government areas in 33 states had been identified as high-risk zones for maternal and neonatal deaths, including Ndokwa East, Ughelli North, Aniocha North, Udu, and Sapele in Delta State.
