Pregnant women Wednesday, in their protested alleged closure of antenatal care services at the Central Hospital Benin City.
The women who took their protest to tormed the state Council Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), claimed that they were scheduled to attend antenatal care but upon getting to the clinic, they were directed to go home and return January 11 next year, as the hospital has been closed down.
One of the women, Mrs Happy Imafidon, spokesperson for the women, said “We got here and we were told no antenatal care from today, December 22. The nurses announced that from December 22, there will be no antenatal care because it has been closed till January 11. “We asked if anyone has issues, before January 11? they told us that we should go to private hospitals that the order to close the place is an order from above. “A woman was already preparing for labour and she was told to go, we cannot suddenly go to a private hospital. Firstly we don’t have the money. Secondly, some of these private hospitals don’t have qualified personnel that is why we always come to the government owned hosiptal” she said. In a prompt response however, the Commissioner for Health, Professor (Mrs) Obehi Akoria, accompanied by the Managing Director of the Central Hospital, Dr Duncan Iyawe attributed the incident to a communication gap between the health workers and the patients, adding that government has made proper arrangements to take care of pregnant women.
To appease the women, vehicles were mobilized to convey the aggrieved women back to to the hospital for antenatal care.
Akoria said “We joined the antenatal with the labour ward so that all will be in the same place. That is the plan. We will ensure the nurses communicate to you all properly. They didn’t pass the message well. We didn’t drive you from the central hospital. Upon your return to the hospital today, you will be booked and told the date and location when to come”.