Ondo: We haven’t increased childbirth fee… women who protested were misled

The Ondo state government has denied hiking childbirth fee at the State Specialist Hospital, Akure.

Wahaab Adegbenro, commissioner for health, said this in response to the protest staged on Thursday.

Over 150 pregnant women disrupted operations at the hospital on Thursday, calling on Rotimi Akeredolu, the governor, to intervene.

But Adegbenro said the women were misled.

“I have addressed them personally. I went there to address them and allay their fears,” he told TheCable

“It was a rumour. We have explained to them, somebody was just trying to be funny somewhere, the information was not correct, we are yet to increase any fee.”

The women had said as against the past when government bore the cost, an expectant mother is being levied N25,000, while N50,000 is payable at the cesaraen section.

One of the protesters who identified herself as Adebayo told TheCable that the “outrageous medical bill” has forced most of them to resort to traditional midwives and private hospitals.

Here are pictures of some of the protesters: