Anambra Boosts Free Maternal Healthcare with Medical Supplies

By Praise Chinecherem

Anambra State Government has intensified efforts to reduce maternal and infant mortality by commencing the procurement and distribution of essential medicines, medical equipment, surgical materials and consumables for its Free Antenatal Care (ANC) and Delivery Services Programme across public health facilities.

The initiative is designed to strengthen government-owned hospitals by improving their capacity to provide quality antenatal care, safe deliveries, emergency obstetric services and comprehensive newborn care, while ensuring frontline health workers have the tools required to deliver uninterrupted services.

The procurement includes a broad range of medical supplies needed for routine antenatal care, normal childbirth, caesarean sections and emergency obstetric interventions. Among the items are intravenous fluids, antibiotics, anaesthetic drugs, sutures, syringes, cannulas, surgical consumables, disinfectants, laboratory reagents, diagnostic materials and other essential medicines.

To promote healthier pregnancies, the government is also acquiring antenatal medications such as iron and folic acid supplements, calcium tablets, vitamin C, multivitamins and other routine drugs prescribed for expectant mothers throughout pregnancy.

In addition, health facilities will receive laboratory test kits, glucose preparations, partographs, spinal needles, methylated spirit, detergents and other consumables aimed at strengthening diagnostic services, infection prevention and the overall quality of maternal and newborn healthcare.

The intervention is in line with Governor Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo’s commitment to removing financial barriers to maternal healthcare and ensuring that no woman loses her life during childbirth because she cannot afford medical treatment.

Expanding Access to Skilled Birth Care

Since the launch of the Free Antenatal Care and Delivery Services Programme, thousands of pregnant women have benefited from free maternal healthcare in public hospitals across Anambra State, leading to increased access to skilled birth attendants and essential obstetric services.

The latest procurement further reflects the Soludo administration’s commitment to sustaining the programme, improving maternal and neonatal health outcomes, and deepening ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening the state’s healthcare system.

The Anambra State Ministry of Health said all medicines, equipment and consumables will undergo quality assurance and meet approved manufacturers’ standards before they are distributed to designated health facilities, ensuring residents continue to receive safe, effective and high-quality maternal healthcare services.