Federal Government to pay pregnant women N5,000 for Ante-natal

The Federal Government has concluded plans to pay women who attend antenatal clinics the sum of N5,000 as part of efforts to battle the menace of high maternal mortality rates.

The plan would be executed as part of the Midwifery Service Scheme (MSS) introduced in 2010 and it is hoped that it would also impact positively on child health.

According to the Director, Primary Health Care System Development with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Abdullahi Mohammed, the government has budgeted N15 billion for Maternal and Child Health Care from the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).

“The woman must attend antenatal clinic at least four times. For each of those antenatal visits, there is money attached to it which is N1000. The woman must deliver at the facility; if she does, she is entitled to something; the woman must also ensure that the child is fully immunised. The total package is about N5,000. It is not big, but the feeling is that considering the level of poverty, it’s enough for women to attend antenatal clinics.”

Culled from daily times