The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has said that expectant mothers must prioritise their health and seek to know their HIV/AIDS status.
She said that this would enable them prevent mother to child transmission of the disease and help they them stay healthy.
At the National Hospital, Abuja where she welcomed the first baby of the year in the Federal Capital Territory, Mrs. Tinubu appealed to well meaning Nigerians to join forces with the government to adopt hospitals and wards in order to improve the healthcare delivery in the country as government alone cannot do it.
She said: “I urge nursing mothers to take adequate care of their babies, ensure that they are immunised as and when due, practice exclusive breastfeeding and provide them with adequate nutritious and healthy weaning food for their brain development.
“Expectant mothers should always take antenatal and postnatal care seriously, maintain basic hygiene at home, space their births, register their babies with the National Population Commission, and make efforts to enroll them in school at the appropriate age”.
The First Lady noted that her foundation, Renewed Hope Initiatve (RHI), is working in collaboration with the UNICEF to see that all births in Nigeria are registered in order to ensure the rights and protection of all children.
After visiting the baby boy, Boluwatife Johnson, who was born at 12:03 am, Tinubu also visited other babies just born in the hospital, bearing gifts. She came across a set of conjoined twins.
After speaking with the Chief Medical Director of the National Hospital, Prof. Mohammed Raji Mahmood, the First Lady expressed RHI’s willingness to facilitate the surgery to separate the twins.
Expressing the appreciation of the hospital for the gesture, Mahmood seized the opportunity to appeal for more help to sustain the legacy of the hospital.
Also with the First Lady was the wife of the Vice President, Hajia Nana Shettima; Minister of Women Affairs, Hon. Uju Kennedy Ohaneye; wife of the Minister of Works, Mrs. Umahi; and wife of the Minister of State for Defence, Mrs. Bello Matawalle.
