Kaduna State government says it will intensify awareness for residents to understand the services they suppose to pay in hospitals and that for free.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina Mohammed Baloni made this known during a one day Qurterly Multi-stakeholders forum in Kaduna.
The stakeholders forum with the theme” Bridging the Financing Gaps toward achieving universal health coverage for all residents of Kaduna was organised by Kaduna State Accountability Mechanism KADMAM with the support of SAVE THE CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL, Lafiya among other partners aimed at improving the lives of residents of the state.
Dr Amina Baloni said the Ministry had received several complains from members of the public that some hospitals are collecting money from them on the services government announced it free of charged.
She explained that, the report presented regarding to the findings was not categorical on the services rendered free or charged.
“So we have to intensify awareness to make sure that in all our facilities to spell out on the services that are free or not”
According to her, the other issue rised during the forum was on lack of enough staff in some facilities which she revealed that, the Ministry had enough staff that would provide health services to it residents.
Earlier, Director Disease, Prevention and Control in Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board, Alhaji Hamza Ibrahim Ikara stressed that, over 80 percent Health Care Centres are working 24 hours in the State despite security challenges in some few local governments.
In his presentation on the Assessment of Maternal , Newborn and Child Health Care Services delivery in the State, Mr Benjamin Maigari who is a member of KADMAM disclosed that, KADMAM was assigned by the State Commissioner for Health Dr Amina Baloni to embark on an spot assessment of facilities to accessing their services for improve policy implementation and accountability.
Mr Maigari saud that the committee had carried out an assessment of 16 selected hospitals and primary health care centers across the state from June to July this year.
He pointed out that the assessment objective was to find out the level of awareness and satisfaction of MCH Services in facilities including drugs.
According to him, the findings revealed that, MNCH services like antenatal care are being paid by patiens in 14 out of 15 health facilities visited which are free according to the state government.
In an Interview with newmen, the Secretary, Kaduna State Maternal Accountability Mechanism, Mr Isa Gidado said the programme was a dialogue between Civil Society Organisations, Representatives of Communities, Government officials and other Critical stakeholders to deliberate on the journey sofar in the area of health achievement in the last three months.
Mr Gidado maintained that, the entired idea for the programme was to ensure effective services on Maternal and Child Health Care in hospitals across the State and also to hold government accountable for it budget allocation and disbursement.
He however called on all stakeholders that participated in the forum to continue doing the good work hey had been doing before to achieve the desire objective.
Critical stakeholders on health matter in the state attended the one day forum.
COV/AMINU DALHATU