“He Would Have Been Born if Not For Emefiele”: Impact of Currency Redesign on Maternal Healthcare Services in Abeokuta, Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

Objectives: The article examined the impact of the currency redesign on maternal healthcare services in Abeokuta, Southwest Nigeria. The objectives of the study were to (i) investigate the impact of naira redesign on maternal healthcare services in Abeokuta, southwest Nigeria and (ii) identify the implications of these impacts on maternal healthcare services in Abeokuta, southwest Nigeria. Methods: The study adopted the qualitative method. Data for the study were elicited majorly from non-participant observation and interviews of 10 purposive women attending antenatal or postnatal clinics in private and community clinics in Abeokuta, southwest Nigeria. This was complemented with other secondary sources. The ages of the participants were between 18 and 42 years old. The criteria for including the volunteers were based on their status of either being pregnant or nursing mothers, their consents, and their willingness to take part in the study. The data were evaluated through descriptive narrative and thematic analysis. Results: The article found that pregnant women and nursing mothers were affected by the naira design in various ways. These were scarcity of cash, problems of transportation to healthcare facilities, problems of purchasing drugs and medications, problems of purchasing food items, problems of accessing medical services, problems of high cost of living, maternal and infant mortality, and morbidity. These have implications on sexual and reproductive health, national development, and human rights. Conclusion: The article concludes that the government and its agencies must make proper plans before making public policies and also carry stakeholders along in what must be an inclusive policy.