AfriPulse
October 1, 2025 October 1, 2025
By Daniel Tyokua
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has distributed gas cylinders and baby kits to expectant mothers as part of celebrations marking Nigeria’s 65th independence anniversary.
Speaking at the exercise on Wednesday, at Asokoro General Hospital, the minister of state for the FCT, Dr Mariya Mahmoud said the two schemes; Mother -baby kits initiative, and the Abuja breathe fresh air project is a step towards protecting mother and newborns during delivery.
She said the plan will protect family from respiratory diseases caused by smoke inhalation in homes.
Mahmoud emphasized that by replacing polluting fuels such as firewood, charcoal, and kerosene with smart, efficient Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cookers, the administration is addressing one of the silent but deadly health risks in the homes: respiratory disease caused by smoke inhalation.
The Minister affirmed that these two transformative programmes are part of a broader transformation under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Mahmoud also said the administration has strengthened its workforce through improved conditions, and training investments, while infrastructure upgrades—from hospital renovations including call rooms to the establishment of a Public Health Emergency Operations Centre—have boosted efficiency and resilience.
She, therefore, used the occasion of Nigeria 65th independence anniversary to call on Nigerians to recommit themselves to building an FCT where every home is healthier, every birth is safer, and every breath is cleaner.
In her remarks, the Mandate Secretary FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, revealed that every year, Nigeria continues to face unacceptably high rates of maternal and infant mortality.
She lamented that despite progress made, too many women still lose their lives during childbirth, and too many newborns do not live to see their first birthday.
“One major reason for these preventable deaths is the lack of access to clean, safe, and essential supplies during delivery.
“The Renewed Hope Mother-Baby Kit initiative is designed to bridge that gap. Each kit contains basic but critical items needed to ensure a hygienic and safe delivery both for the mother and the child”, she noted.
She reiterated the FCT Administration’s, commitment under the leadership of Barr. Nyesom Wike, to investing in strategic health interventions that have a direct impact on the lives of the rural people.
Source: Authorityngr.com | Read the Full Story…
