From Atiku Sarki, Atiku
The Federal Government has distributed 10,000 professional kits to midwives in the South-East as part of efforts to strengthen maternal and child healthcare services.
A statement on Tuesday by the Deputy Director, Information and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Alaba Balogun, said the initiative was flagged off on Monday in Enugu State under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The kits—comprising branded scrubs and pairs of crocs—were officially handed over by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, during a high-level event attended by key stakeholders in the health sector.
The intervention is part of the Renewed Hope Initiative’s broader plan to support 120,000 frontline health workers across the country, with over 60,000 already retrained.
“This is not just a symbolic gesture but a practical show of support for the hardworking midwives who are essential to our healthcare system,” Senator Tinubu said, noting that all six geopolitical zones have now received 10,000 kits each.
In addition to the kits, the First Lady announced a N50m grant for 1,000 petty traders in Enugu, with each beneficiary expected to receive N50,000 to boost their businesses.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tunji Salako, described the initiative as a strategic intervention targeting more than 40 per cent of Nigeria’s registered midwives.
“With only about 154,000 registered midwives nationwide, this effort significantly boosts our capacity to meet the national target of reducing maternal mortality by 20 per cent and under-five mortality by 15 per cent by 2027,” he said.
Salako commended the First Lady for her public health advocacy, describing her as Nigeria’s “Chief Public Health Champion,” citing her work on tuberculosis elimination, cervical cancer prevention, immunisation, and improved nutrition.
He said the Federal Government, through the Health Sector Renewal Investment Programme, has made key gains including:
The establishment of 12 new tertiary hospitals
Recruitment of over 15,000 health workers
HPV vaccination for over 14 million girls
Implementation of more than 500 high-impact hospital infrastructure projects
Expansion of health insurance coverage by over 15 per cent
Training of over 60,000 frontline workers
Upgrade of over 1,000 Primary Healthcare Centres, with 3,000 more ongoing
Disbursement of over N86bn through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund
According to Salako, the distribution event also served as a prelude to the launch of the Free to Shine Triple Elimination Campaign—targeting the eradication of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis—which is scheduled to hold Tuesday (today) in Enugu.
With the official handover of the kits to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, the South-East joins other zones already benefitting from the programme, which the government says is a key step toward achieving universal health coverage.
