CELEBRATING NIGERIA AT 65; FCT LAUNCHES TWO HEALTH INITIATIVES

By: Adewoye Vivian

To celebrate the 65th Independence Anniversary of Nigeria in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Administration, through the Health Services and Environment Secretariat (HSES), has launched two initiatives -Renewed Hope Mother-Baby Kits (RHMBK) tagged “One baby at a time” and Breath Clean Air Abuja Initiative (BCAAI) “One household at a time” at Asokoro District Hospital, Abuja.

The two initiatives were launched by the Minister of State, FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, with the distribution of RHMBK and Cooking gas to pregnant women, aiming to secure a healthier, safer, and more sustainable future for FCT residents.

Launching the initiatives, the Minister of State, FCT said that the RHMBK will ensure safe labour, delivery and neonatal care for women and babies across the FCT because the FCT Administration has “zero tolerance for maternal and infant mortality thereby strengthening commitment to ensuring improved healthcare for mother and child in the best way possible through the provision of free kits containing essential medical items and consumables needed for delivery and post natal care”.

Regarding the BCAAI, Mahmoud noted that the FCT Administration herein is addressing one of the silent but deadly health risks in households, which is respiratory diseases caused by smoke inhalation. In her words, “Breath Clean Air Abuja is a bold initiative to reduce indoor air pollution in vulnerable households by replacing pollution fuels like firewood, charcoal and kerosene with smart, efficient Liquidified Petroleum Gas (LPG) cookers”.

The Minister of State, FCT, further stated that the BCAA Initiative will “reduce harmful household emissions, cut deforestation and advance Nigeria’s clean energy transition and beyond protecting health, it will contribute directly to the nation’s climate commitment and strengthen reputation as leader in sustainable urban living”.

Also, Mahmoud noted that this initiative earns the FCT Administration an additional plus to the other laudable achievements recorded in the FCT Health Sector since the inception of the present FCT Administration under the leadership of the FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesome Ezenwo Wike two years ago.

She said, “these two programmes are not isolated -they are part of a broader transformation under the Renewed Hope Agenda in the last two years, under the current administration, the FCT has seen landmark achievements: from the establishment of fully functional oxygen plants in Maitama, Asokoro, Bwari, and Abaji Hospitals, to the commissioning of a Vesico-Vaginal Fistula Centre at Gwarinpa, and free medical missions that have reached over 10,000 patients with more than 225 life-saving surgeries free of charge to mention a few”.

In the same vein, the Mandate Secretary FCT-HSES Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe in her address mentioned that ” the distribution of free RHMBK is a clear demonstration of the FCT Administration’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding the health and well-being of mothers and newborn across communities within the territory”. As to why the free RHMBK she highlighted that though progress have been attained, “far too many women still lose their lives during childbirth and too many newborns do not live to see their first birthday”.

Equally, Fasawe reteirated that the initiative is designed to bridge the gap of major cause of preventable deaths caused by lack of access to clean, safe and essential supplies as such, RHMBK contains basic but critical items needed to ensure a hygienic and safe delivery for both mother and child free of charge especially to the most vulnerable and underserved women in rural and peri-urban communities to remove significant barrier to safe motherhood.

According to the Mandate Secretary HSES, the initiative is in line with “broader goals of the Federal Government’s Health Sector reforms, particularly under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) framework, and also aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 3: Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages. This launch is just one step in a larger strategy to strengthen maternal and child healthcare services across the six Area Councils of FCT,” she said.

Likewise, the Mandate Secretary FCT Women Affairs Secretariat, Dr. Adedayo Benjamins Laniyi, who also spoke at the event, lauded the efforts of the Renewed Hope Initiative of President Bola Tinubu in transforming the lives of Nigerians across board, with FCT benefiting greatly under Barr. Nyesome Ezenwo Wike, the FCT Minister, who is committed to renewing the hopes of FCT residents.

Laniyi urged beneficiaries to utilize the kits and cooking gas in order to achieve the desired results of reducing maternal mortality to bare and promoting a clean and safer environment in the FCT. She called for support and cooperation with the Federal Government and FCT Administration for more initiatives capable of improving lives.

Furthermore, the Permanent Secretary HSES, Dr. Baba Gana Adam stated that, the two initiatives will be taken to the six Area Councils and no mother or household will be left out in the distribution of RHMBK and Cooking gas under the BCAA Initiative supported by IHS Nigeria as the campaign targets to reach One baby at a time and the cooking gas One household at a time.