By Fred Nnaji
The Chairman of the Renewed Hope Initiative of President Bola Tinubu’s administration and the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has presented Ten Thousand Professional Kits (Crocs and Scrubs) to the Midwives in the South East Geopolitical Zone as part of the federal government’s efforts to curb Maternal and Child mortality in Nigeria.
Presenting the kits at the International Conference Centre, ICC, Enugu, during her two-day working visit to the South East region which has Enugu as its headquarters, the First Lady commended the governor, Dr Peter Mbah for his numerous achievements in the health sector and his unwavering support to the initiative.
Our Government House Correspondent Fred Nnaji reports that Senator Tinubu noted that the Renewed Hope Initiative of the healthcare program, recognizes that the demands of the health profession require not only skills and passion but also the right tools and kits to encourage Midwives as they serve the public.
She said in the spirit of the visit, the Renewed Hope Initiative would present an additional grant of 50 Million Naira to the first lady of Enugu state, Mrs Nkechinyere Mbah, for onward distribution to 1,000 petty trader women in Enugu with 50,000 Naira each to support their existing businesses.
In her welcome address, the First Lady of Enugu State, Mrs Nkechinyere Mbah while appreciating Senator Tinubu for her selfless commitment to building an inclusive society, especially in the healthcare sector, said the Renewed Hope Initiative has significantly impacted countless lives across the nation’s diverse geopolitical zones.
Mrs Mbah acknowledged that midwives are at the front lines of maternal and child health, stating that empowering them is crucial to the push to reduce maternal and under-5 mortality rates radically.
Also, the governor of Enugu state, Dr Peter Mbah who commended the midwives in Enugu for their dedication, said the government is committed to their welfare and professional growth even as he urged them to shun japa syndrome.
Dr Mbah said midwives are the silent strength behind government stories and the uncelebrated heroines in the nation’s healthcare system, noting that the visit of the First Lady was not only impactful and symbolic, but also a strong message of appreciation.
Others who spoke at the event were the minister of state for Health, Dr. Adekunle Salako and the Executive Secretary, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Muyi Aina commended the federal and the Enugu state governments for championing the elimination of several killer diseases.
On her arrival in Enugu, Senator Tinubu visited the chamber of the traditional rulers’ council located at the State House of Assembly where she had an interaction with the Enugu state traditional rulers.
