Enugu, June 10, 2025 – In a bold move to improve maternal and newborn healthcare delivery in Nigeria’s South-East region, the Federal Government, in collaboration with the Office of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has commenced the distribution of 10,000 professional medical kits to midwives across the region.
The distribution exercise, which was flagged off in Enugu, forms part of a broader initiative under the First Lady’s Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) aimed at strengthening frontline healthcare systems and supporting health workers delivering critical services to women and infants in rural and underserved communities.
Speaking at the event, Senator Oluremi Tinubu said the intervention is designed to equip midwives with essential tools needed to carry out safe deliveries and reduce Nigeria’s troubling maternal and infant mortality rates, particularly in the South-East where access to quality primary healthcare remains a challenge for many.
“We are empowering those at the heart of maternal care. A well-equipped midwife is a lifesaver. This is why we are not just handing out kits — we are sending a message that every mother and every newborn in Nigeria deserves quality care,” she said.
The First Lady also stressed that improving maternal health is a key component of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and aligns with national efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 3 on good health and well-being.
Each professional kit distributed contains a set of essential delivery tools including sterile gloves, digital blood pressure monitors, stethoscopes, umbilical cord clamps, resuscitation devices, thermometers, and personal protective equipment, all tailored to support safe delivery practices.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who was also present at the event, lauded the Office of the First Lady for its practical and timely intervention, describing the gesture as “a direct investment in saving lives.”
Dr. Alausa disclosed that similar distributions will be carried out in other geopolitical zones in phases, as part of a national rollout plan to strengthen the country’s primary healthcare delivery system.
Beneficiaries expressed appreciation for the initiative, describing it as a morale booster and a long-overdue recognition of their roles in safeguarding maternal health.
This latest intervention underscores the Federal Government’s increasing focus on maternal health as a national priority and reaffirms its commitment to reducing preventable deaths through improved working conditions and resources for health workers at the grassroots.
