By Yakubu Salisu, Kano
The Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has once again appealed to the state governor, Alh. Abba Kabir Yusuf to implement the Free Maternal and Child Healthcare law.
The Centre made the appeal today during a One Day Community Accountability Report-Back Forum which held at Gwale Islamic Centre, organized by CHRICED in partnership with MISEREOR/KZE of Germany.
According to the Executive Director, CHRICED, Comrade Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, the law which has been assented to has been laying dormant for over a year now.
Zikirullahi represented by Senior Programme Officer, CHRICED, Omoniyi Adewoye, said there is the need for the governor to consider full and immediate implementation of the law considering the state’s mortality rate which has remained almost the same for over ten years.
According to him, considering the role women play in every society, free maternal healthcare service is a right and not a privilege.
He stated that a research by the Centre revealed over sixty to seventy percent of funds allocated to the health sector in Kano goes into recurrent expenditures leaving very meager sum for capital projects meant to directly impact the lives of the people.
Adewoye added that if the government come up with a clear framework and implementation plan for the law, it could serve as a social marketing tool that can be used to seek for more support from relevant donors and Development partners in the health sector.
He assured that CHRICED is always ready to partner with the state government to better the lives of pregnant women and their infants considering their vulnerability and all that is needed is; the political will on the part of the government.
Amina Abdullahi Diso, Chairperson, Women with Disabilities, (PWDs) Gwale stated that although the law has been made but effective implementation has become an issue.
She said, despite their conditions coupled with the harsh economy, women with Disabilities are subjected to different payment during childbirth in the state.
Diso narrated that even recently, a member of their group lost her life due to inability to raise the needed funds because most of them require surgery during childbirth.
She appealed to the state governor to consider them and other women and ensure this law becomes a reality in the whole state and not only in some few or selected hospitals.