Chairman of the Delta State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (DSPHCDA), Dr. Isioma Okobah has raised the alarm over the increasing extortion during immunization process in the state.
Okobah, who spoke to DAILY POST in an exclusive interview, said: “fraudsters have invaded the routing process of immunization in the state. Routine immunization is free, but fraudsters are extorting mothers and caregivers during the routine process”.
He disclosed that fraudsters, under the guise of working for the State Primary Healthcare, collect N2, 000 from each mother and caregiver.
She noted with shock reports of extortion received from Issele-Uku, Issele-Azagba, Patani, Agbor, among other communities in the state, and alleged that nurses were collecting between N2, 000 and N3, 000 from unsuspecting mothers, and caregivers before administering routine immunization on their children.
While warning that the state government would arrest nurses and other fraudsters involved in the act, Okobah further disclosed that the agency had put in place monitoring mechanisms to check the activities of the fraudsters, and bring them to book.
She said, “the fraud is increasing by the day, we need the entire process overhauled. The nurses are taking undue advantage to extort mothers who do not know what to do. Everyday, we get complaints from people, these nurses don’t hide the way they take money from mothers”.
Okobah emphasized that the purpose of making the vaccinations free was to ensure that no child was missed out on account of not being able to afford the cost, adding that immunization was aimed at ensuring that children were fully protected from childhood killer diseases, including under five mortality.
Sources say the nurses have allegedly been involved in extorting mothers over immunization of their children following the non-payment of salaries and other benefits.
But Okobah, in a swift reaction, dispelled such claims as untrue, regretting that the nurses have formed the habit of fraud which, according to her, would soon lead them to jail.
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