How men can deal with “money stress” from pregnancy, childbirth —Experts

Globally, the cost of healthcare services has gone up.  In 2017, at Isolo General Hospital, the delivery fee is said to be N10,500, antenatal care cost N20,000, including fees for drugs. In a situation where a woman delivers through a caesarian section, it costs N45,000 or more, depending on the condition of the patient.

Mrs. Sara Ademola had abandoned her set of twins due to her husband, Adeyemi Ademola’s inability to pay the hospital bills at Felken Maternity Centre in Shomolu area of Lagos. The couple was asked to pay N300, 000 before they could take home their bundles of joy.

For Kafayat Yusuf, a pregnant woman in another private hospital in Ibadan, charges at the private hospital was  not as high. She had paid in installments, until delivery when the doctor told her that she had  to do caesarian section.

“My husband, an okada rider, had to sell  his okada to ensure that he could pay N100, 000 for the operation,” when the situation turned out to be an emergency,” she said.

Certainly, the rising cost of health care, including delivery could be a big challenge. But, cases like these abound in Nigeria because they lack the knowledge that it is possible for both the wife and husband not to be bothered about the cost of antenatal care service, including delivery.

“The issue with maternal mortality is not about money, it is just about ignorance on the benefits of health insurance as one of the ways to reduce personal pocket spending to access health care,” said Dr. Sola Akande, Executive Secretary, Oyo State Health Insurance Scheme.

According to Dr. Akande, “the information gap we are trying to bridge now is to get people to have the understanding that thorough health insurance, a pregnant woman could have a safe delivery.  Even the health of children, especially under the age of  five years are well taken care of.”

Dr. Akande said a woman before pregnancy could enrol under the scheme with N8,000 to have access to antenatal care services, medications and required tests and safe delivery, including through caesarean operation. The payments could even be done in installments.

“Now a pregnant woman can still enrol into the Oyo state health insurance scheme within the first trimester to enjoy these benefits. However, a woman getting enrolled after the first trimester would be enrolled under the family plan and would have to  pay N28, 000.

“That is still even cheaper than the total that you would have spent during the period of antenatal and delivery; whether in the private or public facility. And then the benefits even go beyond the money you are paying.”

Dr. Akande said an enrolled woman under the health insurance scheme can be sure of a good facility to access healthcare services, experts’ care, required medicines and tests without either the woman or the husband being scared of hospital bills.

“It is a leeway to safe mothers, safe babies as well as a healthy, happy and prosperous family. Just make sure that you are on health insurance even before you get married or you are on health insurance even before your wife gets pregnant, that is the way forward. That is one of the ways to reduce poverty and untimely deaths in our society.

“In emergencies, every minute is crucial for the health of the unborn baby and the mother. You can go to a facility; they would tell you to go and look for N40, 000 as deposit before your wife is touched. Yes, you might eventually get the N40, 000. But every minute of delay is crucial to the life of the baby.”

Mrs Stella Akinso, Oyo State Team leader, Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI), said when husbands enrol their wives under the health insurance scheme, they are taking responsibility and getting involved in the care of their wives’ health.

According to Mrs Akinso, a lot of the time, many pregnant women don’t want to go to the hospital to register for antenatal care or comply with their antenatal care appointments because they did not have money to pay for services.

“They cannot pay for even the drugs prescribed if they develop any problem in pregnancy. So a lot of them refuse to go for antenatal care. Without antenatal care, for instance, there is no way we will be able to monitor the pregnancy, the baby and the woman to be sure that they are in good health condition. Some end up also delivering their babies at home.”

Mrs Akinso declared that enrollment in health insurance will put a stop to delays that contribute to many women dying from pregnancy and pregnancy-related problems.

“The woman is inspired to find her way to the health facility knowing that she will be looked after when she gets to the hospital without having to pay. Of course, the providers are updated regularly and they know when complications are about setting in, so that they can refer promptly,

“So, it is a win-win, for the woman, the husband, the family and the community at large. It is also a win-win for the government since maternal mortality is reduced and the government can focus on spending money on other things.”

#EndSARS: Nigeria Police To Host Naira Marley On Live Chat 

In response to concerns and complaints by Nigerian youths on the issue of unprofessional conducts by some Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) operatives of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the force has invited Nigerian singer and rapper, Azeez Fasola, popularly known as Naira Marley, to a live interview session with its Public Relations officer on Instagram.