The much-drummed free health-care delivery service by Udom Emmanuel administration in Akwa Ibom State for children under five years and the elderly from 65 years has been disputed by a nursing mother, Straightnews can authoritatively confirm.
Governor Emmanuel inherited the free health-care delivery service from his predecessor, Godswill Akpabio and implemented as one of the five-point policy thrust of his administration.
Speaking on a privately–owned radio station, Inspiration Radio, Uyo Wednesday, Dr. Dominc Ukpong, the state Commissioner for Health boasted that Akwa Ibom government is offering free health service to both indigenes and non-indigenes in the state for the past three years.
Ukpong directed people under the specified ages’ margin with health challenges to always visit health centres offering primary and secondary health-care sevices for free treatment, except in some cases where they could be referred to Ibom Specialist Hospital, Uyo.
As soon as the moderator opened phone lines for calls and inputs on the programme anchored by the state Ministry of Information and Strategy, a woman who did not mention her name called and complained bitterly that the so-called free health-care service by Akwa Ibom Government was a fluke.
She told the commissioner that she took her child to a state-government-owned Child and Maternal Health Centre, Wellington Bassey Way, Uyo where she paid money for all the services offered.
According to her, she later took the child to University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo run by the Federal Government but maximally assisted by the state government in terms of building and equipment where she paid N2,000 for minor services.
The radio caller then challenged the commissioner to send messengers to the various hospitals in the state for investigation if they would not be asked to pay for different services rather having a make-belief that health-care service in the state is free after all.
In a swift reaction, the health commissioner admitted “I cannot dispute what you have said. Many people even in the system are corrupt. Some health personnel try to undercut patients. Anyway, I will investigate the allegation. Even in the public school system which is free, there are some teachers who allegedly collect money from the pupils and students.”
A nurse in one of the government-owned hospital claimed that it unfortunate for the government to believe that health-care service was free when the system is underfunded even some without facilities and equipment.
She queried “How many hospitals and health centres in Uyo, the state capital and in the 31 local government areas are funded? How many have drugs and other facilities for treatment of patients? How much does the state government budget for health sector yearly and how much is usually spnet? How much do local government councils budget for health sector, and how much do they spent in a year? In the local government areas, are nurses and other health personnel and providers regularly paid?
“Let government stop playing ostrich that it is well in the health sector. The sector is in shambles and there is need to declare a state of emergency on the sector. Let state governor stop paying lip service that health-care delivery service is free in Akwa Ibom. Patients pay for services or do you expect health providers to use their money to treat them?”
