Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, says she will continue to pursue programs and initiatives that will promote the health and education of girls and women.
Mrs Tinubu was speaking during the 13th Anniversary and 7th MERCK Foundation First Ladies Initiative Summit in Dubai.
She noted that enhancing the education of girls in the area of healthcare courses will ultimately improve the health and well-being of Nigerians.
PRESS RELEASE
FIRST LADY RECOMMITS TO HEALTH, EDUCATION OF GIRLS AND WOMEN
As she attends 7th MERCK Foundation First Ladies Initiative SummitThe First Lady of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has said she will continue to pursue programs and initiatives that… pic.twitter.com/UGiicyOyiZ
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The wife of the Nigerian president, who spoke alongside first ladies of 13 other nations, said empowering girls through education plays a crucial role in building stronger and healthier nations.
“I agree that this is a highly beneficial program for our country, and I am committed to expanding it further through my Office and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. By doing so, we will be able to empower more Nigerian doctors, ultimately enhancing public healthcare and improving the well-being of our people.
“As a lifelong teacher, I believe in empowering girls through education, as it plays a crucial role in building stronger and healthier nations. Through the Renewed Hope Initiative, which I chair, we have continually made interventions in education and youth empowerment, prioritising girl child education,” she said.
The First Lady pointed out that the efforts of MERCK Foundation, which has been supporting healthcare through the provision of scholarships to medical doctors and medical professionals from Africa and Asia in the last 13 years, are not only commendable but worthy of emulation.
Other first ladies present, including those from Ghana, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Kenya, Angola, Liberia, the Maldives, CAR, Cape Verde, the Gambia, Gabon, Angola and Sao Tome & Principe, all emphasised the role of African women in domestic and public spheres, despite all the challenges they face culturally and financially.
They commended the MERCK Foundation for all it has done in the area of educating Africans on health and ensuring the education of the girl child.
While welcoming the First Ladies and others at the event, the Chairman of the Foundation, Prof Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, restated his belief that everyone should be able to live a healthy life and the young girl should be given a chance to fulfil her dreams.
The event was to re-emphasise the MERCK Foundation’s programmes and seek areas of further collaboration with various African countries through their first ladies.
Already the Foundation has provided scholarships for 2,270 medical practitioners from 52 countries in 44 critical areas of healthcare, educating the girl child through the Educating Linda Program, a full scholarship program where 956 girls have so far benefitted in Africa and the Community Awareness Program, which includes breaking the infertility stigma, ending GBV, ending prevalence of diabetes and hypertension among others.