In a landmark development highlighting Nigeria’s renewed commitment to quality healthcare delivery and sustainable development, a 100-Bed Renewed Hope Mother and Child Specialist Hospital has been officially commissioned in Oko-Ita, Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
The state-of-the-art medical facility, which was initiated, constructed, and equipped under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs), represents another significant stride in the nation’s efforts to drastically reduce maternal and child mortality, while expanding access to equitable, high-quality healthcare at the grassroots level.
Commissioned by the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno – who was represented at the event by the Deputy Governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi – the hospital is designed to deliver comprehensive maternal, neonatal, and paediatric care to residents of the community and surrounding areas.
Senator Akon Eyakenyi praised President Tinubu for providing the resources necessary for the facility’s construction and equipment, adding that the hospital would go a long way in supporting the state’s commitment to providing affordable, quality healthcare services.
“Our President understands that health is wealth. The commissioning of this hospital speaks to the President’s commitment to addressing the healthcare needs of the people, especially those in rural areas, as well as his resolve to implement Sustainable Development Goal-3 on good health and well-being,” Governor Eno said.
Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, described the hospital as more than just a healthcare project.
“We are not merely unveiling a health facility. We are reaffirming our collective commitment to delivering quality healthcare to the most vulnerable segments of our society; our mothers and children,” she said.
She explained that the commissioning is fully aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which places social inclusion and equitable development at the heart of Nigeria’s drive to achieve the SDGs.
Read Also: Red Cross, Agencies Train Immunisation Facilitators
Princess Orelope-Adefulire expressed appreciation for the President’s consistent support and visionary leadership:
“His administration has demonstrated a clear understanding that inclusive development begins with prioritising the health and well-being of our people, especially at the grassroots,” she said.
Referencing Nigeria’s 2024 SDGs Progress Report, the Presidential Adviser acknowledged the challenges posed by the “Triple C” crises: Climate, Conflict, and COVID-19, which have disrupted health systems, displaced communities, and diverted much-needed development funding.
“Together, these crises have strained health systems, disrupted service delivery, displaced vulnerable populations and diverted resources away from essential development priorities,” she noted.
The fully equipped hospital comprises operating theatres, recovery rooms, private and general wards, consultation rooms, a laboratory and scanning room, as well as an ultra-scan machine, vacuum extractor delivery set, and an emergency cart with full complements, among other essential facilities.
The hospital has been carefully designed to provide respectful, safe, and dignified maternal and child healthcare, especially to underserved communities.
It supports Nigeria’s broader mission to achieve SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and other interconnected development goals.
Princess Orelope-Adefulire called on all stakeholders – including the Akwa Ibom State Government, traditional rulers, health professionals, and community leaders – to take full ownership of the hospital and ensure it is run sustainably.
She also commended Governor Pastor Umo Eno for creating an enabling environment for the project’s success, and encouraged continued collaboration to guarantee the hospital achieves its full potential.
With the commissioning of this new facility, the OSSAP-SDGs has once again demonstrated its resolve to bridge the gap between policy and impact.
The event served as a strong testament to what can be accomplished when federal and state governments, development partners, and local communities work together towards a common goal.