By Umar Bayo Abdulwahab
Ilorin
Kwara state government has concluded arrangement with White Ribbon Alliance Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) to provide ‘respective maternal care’ to women in the state.
Under the scheme, initiated by the NGO, pregnant women in the state would enjoy qualitative maternal care during while their rights and dignity as a woman must also be protected.
The pilot scheme of the project which was amongst the recommendations of the National Council of Health would commence with Ilorin-west local government area of Kwara state.
This followed a meeting held with the representatives of the state government lead by the Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Abdul Issa, and that of White Ribbon on the other hand lead by its national coordinator, Tonte Ibraye, in Ilorin, on Tuesday.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, Issa described the scheme as a “re-orientation programme” for health personnel on the need to always abide by the code of conducts and ethics of their different professions.
He said the scheme would ensure that women got enhanced maternal care and put an end to abuses against their rights.
National coordinator, White Ribbon Alliance Nigeria, Tonte Ibraye, urged the state government to come up with “a cost plan and own the scheme.”
He said the state was chosen to pioneer the scheme because of it track records of achievements in the health sector in particular.
Chairman, Primary Health Care Services in the state, Hajia Ashiat Saka, said the scheme, like the health insurance policy programme of the state government, would be replicated in other parts of the state to complement the government commitment in providing health care services to the people of the state.