The Chairman, Ojo Local Government Council in Lagos State, Mr Idowu Rasulu-Olusola, said on Friday that primary healthcare services remain free in the area.
The chairman made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
According to him, the council is not aware that some primary healthcare givers are taxing pregnant and nursing mothers before they are given Medicare.
NAN reports that mothers who went for routine antenatal and postnatal services on Wednesday complained of charges from health officials before they were attended to at the various primary health centres in Ojo.
Rasulu-Olusola, while condemning the act, described it as unbecoming of health workers and should be stopped, warning that “it is unethical and antithetical to the policy of the state on health delivery’’.
“The council maintains total free healthcare to nursing mothers and children at our health centres.
“It will amount to unbridle corruption for any official to tax patients before administering a drug or render service to them,” he said.
The council boss, who warned those involved in the unwholesome act to desist forthwith, promised to investigate the issue with a view to stopping the menace.
He expressed concern that such practices that could hinder the less privileged from accessing healthcare had been going on without the knowledge of the council.
NAN reports that the women are charged N300, N400 and N500 for registration, health talk and maintenance fees, respectively, weekly at the various centres.