Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori Sacks Health Workers Over Illegal Charges to Pregnant Women, Children

The Delta State Government has dismissed several health workers found guilty of extorting money from pregnant women and children under five, despite the state’s free healthcare policy for these groups. Others faced demotion for related misconduct.

State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, made this known on Saturday during the launch of the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation and Initiatives (MAMII) Project Action Plan in Ashaka, Ndokwa East Local Government Area. He said the ministry had intensified monitoring of hospitals to ensure proper use of funds allocated to maternal and child healthcare.

Onojaeme condemned the fraudulent acts, noting that while most health workers perform well, some were reported to have collected payments from patients while still billing the government. He explained that the state fully covers the medical expenses of pregnant women until delivery, as well as free treatment for children under five.

“Several fraudulent workers have been demoted or dismissed within this short period. With stricter monitoring and support from mothers, we expect these practices to reduce further,” he added. The commissioner urged residents to report such cases, assuring that the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Health Monitoring would make a contact line available for complaints. He also revealed that Delta’s maternal mortality rate had dropped from over 200 to fewer than 120 per 100,000 live births, expressing optimism that the MAMII Project would bring further improvements.

Representing the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. John Ovuoraye reaffirmed the Federal Government’s support for states in tackling maternal and neonatal deaths. He disclosed that 172 local government areas across 33 states had been identified as high-risk, including five in Delta State. The MAMII Project, backed by President Bola Tinubu, is being executed in partnership with USAID, WHO, UNICEF, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank, and European partners.

The event featured the presentation of the MAMII plaque to Delta State and the inauguration of a task force to oversee the project’s implementation.