By Emmanuel Nduka
Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu has informed that pregnant women in the state who give birth in government-owned primary health care facilities, get a parting gift of N500.
The Governor who made this disclosure while he appeared on Channels TV on Wednesday, said the N500 was given to the women alongside delivery packs.
According to him, the money was part of the state’s basic health care insurance program for pregnant women
“Abia State has keyed into the basic health insurance for pregnant women. If you give birth in any of our centres, you get N500.
“Delivery is free, they give you a delivery pack and N500, which is running for the vulnerable members of the society,” the Governor said.
On how the N500 would benefit the new mothers, Ikpeazu justified his administration’s policy, stating that his government was already footing the women’s delivery bill. He insisted that the amount would be enough to pay their transport fare back home.
“Free delivery. Are you asking a poor woman what she will do with N500? Some people don’t have it. At least it will pay their way back home,” he added.
