…Govt to address issue of corruption in the health sector, especially, at the Primary Healthcare Centres – Dr. Obidike
The Commissioner for Health Anambra state, Dr Afam Obidike says the an online platform to checkmate cases of corruption associated with the payment of health charges across the 617 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in the state will soon be created.
The platform will help to improve the working relationship between the rural dwellers, civil society organisations, media, the state ministry of health and the PHC employees and also the financial transactions.
Dr. Obidike disclosed this during the inauguration of the 3rd state council meeting on health organized in Awka, by the state Ministry of Health in collaboration with her partners including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Union.
According to the commisioner, Anambra state government through the state Ministry of Health is creating the platform to address the issue of corruption in the health sector, especially, at the Primary Healthcare Centres.
He said, “Since the present administration of governor Chukwuma Soludo came on board, there have been a lot of complaints from various communities that people, particularly, pregnant women paid between N30,000 to N40,000 for only child delivery at the PHCs without the government knowledge.
“We are coming up with what we called “digitalization of healthcare system to checkmate corruption in the state health sector. We are going to past the fixed amount of money to be paid for every service delivery including delivery of babies in all the Primary Healthcare Centres in the state. It would not cost more than N7,000-10,000 naira only. We don’t want Ndi Anambra to suffer. I have given the direction and the governor has approved.
“The Ministry under my watch will no longer allow criminal elements to do business with the people’s health. The era is over. I can confirm it. People have told me about the corruption going on, on daily basis at the PHCs across the state. And I will do everything possible to stop the menace in the health system of the state, the Commissioner vowed.
