SURE-P Health Programme Takes Off In Anambra

The Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) Maternal And Child Health Programme pilot scheme has commenced in Anambra.
The Director of Primary Health Care in the state, Dr Chukwudi Okoye, announced the commencement at the inauguration of the 11-member steering committee in Awka on Tuesday.
He said the health facilities for the project were at Nnobi, Ebenesi, Akwaeze, Oraeri and Akwa Etiti, while the General Hospital, Ekwulobia, was to serve as the referral centre.
Okoye said the Okija General Hospital, earlier selected as the referral centre, had been dropped and  disclosed that the committee would coordinate the conditional cash transfer and recommend additional health facilities in other local government areas that would participate in the programme.
According to him, the committee will also monitor and track the implementation of the cash transfer, adding that the pilot programme, which will last for one year, would be extended to other areas.
He also said that only those who met the required conditions would receive the stipulated funds to be paid every two months to the beneficiaries.
The director stressed the need for local governments to be carried along in the programme implementation by signing a memorandum of understanding with them for effective participation. This, according to him, is one way to ensure the success of the programme.
The programme is to mitigate the impact of the fuel subsidy reduction on the vulnerable population in Nigeria through the use of conditional cash transfers, CCT initiatives and improved primary health care facilities across the country.
The objectives of the programme also include reduction of maternal and infant mortality by encouraging pregnant women to go through ante natal care until delivery.
Another objective is increasing the welfare of pregnant women by providing them with cash support to reduce the impact of economic barriers toward accessing health services.
The other benefiting states are Ebonyi, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Niger, Kaduna, Ogun, Zamfara and the FCT.