Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
Anambra State Government has said it will create an online platform to checkmate cases of corruption associated with the payment of health charges in Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in the state.
The platform, according to Government, will help to improve the working relationship between the rural dwellers, civil society organisations, the media, the state ministry of health and the PHC employees and as well as the financial transactions.
Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, disclosed this during the inauguration of the third state council meeting on health organised in Awka, on Thursday, by the state Ministry of Health in collaboration with her partners including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Union.
According to Obidike, the State Government through the 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, pay between N30,000 to N40,000 for only child delivery at the PHCs without the Government’s knowledge.
“We are coming up with what we call ‘digitalisation of healthcare system’ to checkmate corruption in the state health sector.
“We are going to paste 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 will not cost more than N7,000-10,000. 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.
