Exorbitant charges in Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital is forcing Kaduna women to shun antenatal, delivery and post-natal clinics as most of the women laments that they can hardly  afford the fees being charged by the hospital.

However, the Kaduna State government announced that the antenatal care, ANC services to pregnant women in public facilities is free of charge, but pregnant women who patronise these facilities have been forced to pay exorbitant charges to have access to them.

Findings by our Correspondent revealed that, Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial hospital, a stone throw to the government house charges up to N2,000.00 for ANC clinic before being attended to by the heath providers.

“Any woman who goes to the hospital must pay N500 for ANC registration, N700 for test and N800 for scanning, which must all be paid at once, or forget accessing services. Any woman who cannot afford the amount would be sent back home, “one of the sources stated.

Our correspondent gathered that the charges have prevented a lot of women from accesing the government facilities and also discouraged many women from visiting the hospital for ANC, especially residents of Tudun Wada area of Kaduna who cannot afford the amount.

Voice of Nigeria could not identify the reason why Yusuf Dantsho Memorial Hospital was charging the amount, compared to other government hospitals like Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, also owned by Kaduna State Government which charges just N500 for same services.