Wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, yesterday, welcomed and presented gifts items to the first babies of the year in three public hospitals namely: Harvey Road Health Centre, Onikan Health Centre and Lagos Island Maternity Hospital.
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Baby Abdulganiu, a male who weighed 3.2kg delivered at exactly 12:00:15am by Mrs. Shukurat Abdulganiu is the first baby of the year at Harvey Road Hospital. Another baby, also male who weighed 2.5 kg and delivered at 12:00am by Mrs Adesola Ajila is the first baby of the year at Onikan Health Centre, while the first baby of year at the Lagos Island Maternity Hospital is baby Layembi. The baby; a male who weighed 3.1kg was delivered at 12:10am by Mrs Simbiat Layembi.
Welcoming the first babies at these hospitals, Sanwo-Olu said the birth of a newborn is a symbolic and significant event that brings forth the assurance that human heritage is carried on to the next generation.
“The gift of a new baby is a priceless one from God. It, therefore, gladdens me to be in the midst of the Lagos Health Family to receive and celebrate the First Baby of the year 2022” She noted.
Sanwo-Olu commended the Commissioner for Health Professor Akin Abayomi and the Lagos health family for the laudable work done in tackling the COVID19 pandemic and the improvement recorded in the health sector.
She said: “The State Government, through the Health Ministry, has continued to deliver on its mandate to all residents in the State. Over the years, the State Government has strengthened its Maternal and Child Health policies and programs, upgrading and constructing new Maternal and Child health facilities towards the provision of efficient, accessible, and affordable mother and child services.
“These efforts have paid off, resulting in a significant reduction in the high morbidity and mortality among women and under-five children in the State.
“Therefore, I commend the health family and urge you to continue to do more in terms of infrastructural upgrade, provision of relevant equipment, positive attitudinal change in our workers, and human capacity development, in order to sustain and improve on the level of efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery so far achieved”.
“As we are excited with the safe and sound arrival of the bundles of joy, once again, I congratulate the parents of the babies. May the good Lord bless the newborns with sound health, long life to grow up to fulfill destiny and become useful citizens”, the Wife of the Governor added.
While presenting gifts to the parents of the newly born, the first lady commended all philanthropists, corporate bodies, Non-governmental organizations and civil society groups involved in any form of partnership towards complimenting the vision of the state government in the health sector.
Earlier in his remarks, the State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi noted that the first baby of the year remains a symbolic event which marks the first activity of the government every year adding that the event is a demonstration of the priority placed on the provision of sustainable health care delivery in the state.
Abayomi stated further that the Ministry of Health remains committed to implementing policies, programmes and projects that will promote maternal and child wellbeing as well as prevent and reduce maternal and child mortality in the State.
He added that the State government through the Ministry of Health will continue to provide qualitative and equitable health care services to all citizens of the State through strengthening of structures, health promoting programs and expanding services that will promote healthy living including neonatal and child survival.
He said: “While we celebrate the birth of babies we are also cognizant that many mothers go through a very difficult time to give birth; and we are still experiencing childhood, infant mortality and maternal deaths in the process of delivering babies.
“So we are constantly aspiring to improve the circumstances, the infrastructure, the equipment and our human resources to ensure that our pregnant women, throughout the gestation of carrying the Baby are looked after properly and when the time comes for delivery, that they are given the opportunity to have a safe birth.
In his remarks, the Lagos State Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola assured that the State government will continue to stimulate the required quality of health service delivery that is poised to address existing health gaps.
Muri-Okunola who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, urged residents to embrace the Lagos State Health Insurance Scheme for seamless access to quality and efficient health care services in Lagos State.
He stressed that the Lagos State Health Scheme which is now in full swing will continue to give succor to residents.
“I want to use the medium to appreciate all residents in the State for supporting the Government’s efforts in the fight against COVID-19. As we are all aware that the Nation has entered its fourth wave with the emergence of the Omicron Variant, I therefore want to urge you all to go out to receive the available vaccine and continue to abide by all the preventive protocols against the disease”, the Head of Service said.
