RENEWED HEALTH INITIATIVE; PREGNANT WOMEN FORBIDDEN TO DIE IN FCT

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has reiterated its commitment to end Maternal and Infant mortality in FCT saying it is forbidden for any pregnant woman to die through the cause of pregnancy or process of delivery.

This was stated during an Enrollment and Sensitization Campaign of FCTA to fight Maternal Mortality by Enrolling and Providing Delivery Kits and Health Insurance to Pregnant women free of charge in Abuja which is a pilot initiative of President Bola Tinubu’s Administration.

Speaking at the event, the Honourable Minister of State (FCT) Dr. Mariya Mahmoud said that the initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Initiative of the present Administration and FCT Administration is sensitive to the health needs of the people in line with the Universal Basic Health Care  Provisions (UBHCP)

The Honourable Minister of State (FCT) who was represented by her Chief of Staff Dr. Abdullahi Kauran-Mata stated that the Enrollment of pregnant women and vulnerable persons who were physically present at the event is free and aimed at catering for the needs of people in order to renew and restore lost hopes in various sectors including health sector.

According to Mahmoud, Health Insurance gives access to Basic Healthcare needs of enrollees at a subsidized rate in line with UBHCP and the FCT Administration will not leave any stone unturn in ensuring UBHCP is achieved in FCT including the introduction of more initiatives that will ease the life of FCT people.

In her words, “the FCT Administration under the leadership of the Honourable Minister of FCT Barrister Nyesom Wike will ensure the revitalization of Primary Health Care facilities in terms of geographical and functional accessibility to accommodate both the organized formal sector enrollees of FHIS as well as key into every avenue to bring the informal sector on board to also benefit”.

Also speaking at the event, the Mandate Secretary FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat (HSES) Dr Adedolapo Fasawe made the pronouncement that it is “an abomination and forbidden henceforth for any pregnant woman to die in the FCT” because measures like free distribution of Sterile Delivery Kits to pregnant women who are enrolled in the scheme is on top gear to curb Maternal Mortality in the FCT.

In ensuring this, Fasawe noted that the event’s key focus was on advocacy where people present and the media are encouraged to spread the news for the purpose of Enlightenment, Sensitization and Education far and wide in FCT to others about the benefits of FHIS with focus on pregnant women because there is no reason for any woman to die due to child birth or post-natal complications.

According to Fasawe, maternal mortality has been documented overtime to be caused by infections emanating from complications due to use of unsterile delivery tools by Traditional birth attendants and Healthcare givers in some cases, as such the Free Delivery Kits distributed to pregnant women who are enrolled in the scheme is pertinent and will address the issue to a large end.

The Director FHIS Dr. Ahmed Danfulani while giving his remarks said that since the launch of the scheme in the  year 2009,  FHIS has successfully enrolled over 160,000 beneficiaries from the formal and informal sector as well as vulnerable persons like pregnant women, the elderly and the indigents with all beneficiaries accessing healthcare services in over 200 public and private facilities across the FCT.

In order to get more people enrolled into the Scheme, Danfulani said that FCT Administration has taken the bold step of establishing FHIS office in the six Area Councils of FCT to guarantee easy access to enrollment for potential beneficiaries and to bridge awareness gap of the Scheme, Danfulani noted that there is a collaboration and partnership with public and private media to publicize FHIS activities.

Speaking earlier at the event, the FCT State Director of USAID Integrated Health Programme (IHP) Dr. Frances-Lois Adewumi reaffirmed  the support of USAID IHP to FHIS in order to build capacity through training of staffs and subsidized healthcare services so as to reach more vulnerable people and everyone in the long run.