Over 50 pregnant women receiving prenatal and antenatal medical attention at the Amaku General Hospital Awka, Anambra State yesterday protested against increase in the cost of services at the state government-owned hospital.

Speaking to reporters in Awka on behalf of the protesters shortly after the protest, Mrs. Ijeoma Onuora Anyikwa said the cost of antenatal services increased last two weeks, forcing most of them to resort to traditional midwives and private hospitals

“We were paying N300.00 per consultancy session but we suddenly discovered that we are to pay N1,000. The test for urine and blood samples used to be N500.00, now it is N800.00. Some of the drugs that sell for N400.00 at the roadside medicine store is now sold at N1,200.00 at the government owned hospital here in Amaku,” she said.

Addressing the protesters, the Chief Medical Director of Amaku General Hospital Dr. Lawrence Ikeakor, appealed to them to exercise patience for him to address the matter.