The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has said that the demands of the health profession transcends skill and compassion, noting that the right tools and infrastructure are also needed.
She stated this at the flag off of the distribution of professional kits to midwives by the Renewed Hope Initiative at an event that took place in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
According to Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the efforts of midwives and health professionals continue to be pivotal to attaining the reduction of maternal and child mortality in Nigeria.
“This is to complement the ongoing Federal Government retraining exercise for 120,000 frontline health workers nationwide. I am informed that 54,346 health workers have already completed their training and that is why the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) procured 60,000 branded scrubs and 60,000 crocs, as an incentive to encourage and support the tireless dedication of our midwives.
“This donation has been made possible by the generous support of an anonymous global partner committed to ensuring better health outcomes for our citizens. I say anonymous because they choose to remain so. My first contact with them was at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2023, and later at the Africa Union (AU) Summit in 2024. The donor supports the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) and the health sector in Nigeria, particularly in the areas of infant and maternal mortality and morbidity,” the First Lady said.
While commending the leadership and staff of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Senator Oluremi Tinubu appealed to Nigerians to keep encouraging health workers for their tireless efforts.
“All six geopolitical zones will be receiving 10,000 scrubs and 10,000 crocs to be shared among the States in each zone. We will be visiting other zones as soon as possible for the allocation of these items,” she said.
In his remarks, Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq was of the opinion that brain drain may not be bad in its entirety but calls for more training so that Nigeria can serve the world better in the health sector.
The Minister of State for Health, Dr Iziaq Salako assured that the Federal Government is doing all it can to close the gap in access to healthcare especially for pregnant women and mothers.
The Professional Kits were subsequently presented to the Wives of Governors and RHI State coordinators for the six geo-political zones and the FCT by the First Lady and National Chairman of the RHI, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Also, the First Lady Oluremi Tinubu commissioned the newly constructed General Babatunde Idiagbon Flyover, Tanke and Dr Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari Flyover in Ilorin, Kwara State.
She also performed the ground breaking ceremony of the Oluremi Tinubu Hospital.
The highlight of the day would be the spontaneous stoppage of the First Lady and her entourage to join hundreds of schoolchildren who had rushed out of their school premises to sing and cheer.
After the First Lady sighted the children, she alighted from her vehicle where she admonished the excited children to face their studies and shun all acts or behavior that could jeopardize their future.
The First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu will on Thursday, 30 January, 2025, in Ilorin, flag off the Free to Shine campaign of the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) in Nigeria.
