At least 137 women have received life-saving maternal healthcare services through the Federal Government’s Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (CEMONC) programme at the Edo State University Teaching Hospital, Auchi, Edo State.
The programme coordinator at the hospital, Dr. Anthony Omage, revealed this during an interview in Auchi, explaining that the intervention was introduced by the Federal Ministry of Health under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda to address the persistent challenge of maternal deaths across the country.
According to Omage, the CEMONC initiative provides urgent and comprehensive medical care for pregnant women and newborns experiencing severe health complications, particularly among vulnerable and financially disadvantaged members of the community.
He stated that the initiative covers a wide range of critical pregnancy and childbirth-related conditions, including excessive bleeding before or after delivery, ectopic pregnancy, prolonged or obstructed labour, high blood pressure disorders in pregnancy such as pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, premature rupture of membranes, complications arising from unsafe or incomplete abortions, and infections occurring after childbirth.
The coordinator noted that beneficiaries must meet specific conditions to access the free healthcare services. Eligible women must be within the reproductive age bracket, classified as indigent, possess a valid National Identification Number (NIN), have no existing health insurance coverage, and present with any of the medical conditions covered under the programme.
Omage explained that the cost of treatment under the initiative is fully covered by the Federal Government through a designated Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO), while implementation and administrative processes are being coordinated through the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
He added that the Edo State University Teaching Hospital has established a dedicated local implementation team to support residents with information and guidance on how to access the free services.
However, despite the positive impact recorded so far, Omage expressed concern over the low level of awareness of the programme among community members. He urged eligible women and families to take advantage of the initiative and seek information from designated officers at the hospital.
The CEMONC programme forms part of ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to improve access to quality maternal and newborn healthcare, especially for underserved populations, with the broader goal of reducing preventable maternal and infant deaths across Nigeria.