Pregnant Women Protest Closure Of Antenatal Services In Edo Central Hospital

By Okhide Em’ya David

Aggrieved Pregnant women on Wednesday took to the streets of Benin to protest alleged closure of antenatal care services at the Central Hospital, Benin City, Edo State of Nigeria.

The women said they were scheduled to attend antenatal care on Wednesday  at the hospital but  getting to the clinic, they were directed to go home and return January next year.

Their words: “Out of utter frustration we marched to the Secretariat of the  Edo State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to report the gross case of Man’s inhumanity to Man”

One Mrs. Happy Imafidon, said they were directed to come on January 11, 2021 after waiting for about two hours

“We got here and were told no antenatal care from today, December 22. The nurses announced that from December 22, there will be no antenatal care because it has been closed till January 11.

“We asked if anyone has issues, before January 11, they told us that we should go to private hospitals that it is an order from above,” she said.

The Commissioner for health in Edo State Prof. Obehi Akoria, in his reaction, said that there was a communication gap between the health workers and the patients.

He was however silent on whether if any of the Pregnant Women has complication during Yuletide.