In a bid to provide easy access to health care services for all Nigerians, especially women and children, the Federal Government has said that it has initiated a transformative process to revitalise 17,600 Primary Health Care Centres nationwide.
The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, disclosed this at the weekend, during the formal launch of the Women’s Optimal Health Framework in Kampala, Uganda.
The Head of the Press and Public Relations Unit in the First Lady’s office, Mrs. Grace Njoku, quoted Tinubu as saying that the government’s efforts at revitalising the health centres across the country are, among others, aimed at tackling infant and maternal mortality while also promoting the life expectancy of all Nigerians.
Represented by the Minister of Women Affairs, Barrister (Mrs) Uju Kennedy-Ohaneny, Tinubu informed that the government has also secured a grant from an international donor agency to train midwives and frontline health workers aimed at strengthening collaborations in the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS
The First Lady informed further said: “Through a coordinated partnership between my Office and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, a total of 4.7 million girls have been immunised against cervical cancer from October 2023 to date.”
The nationwide immunisation exercise, she explained, “was made possible through the introduction of the Human Papiloma Vaccine into the national routine vaccine schedule designed to stem such cases among women, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present Administration.’
Tinubu explained further that in recognition of the relevance of multi-sectoral approach to the advancement of women’s health, the Renewed Hope Initiative was established by the Office of the First Lady, to ensure a robust empowerment of Nigerian women.
“I established the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) to bring about improvements in health, agriculture, education, economic empowerment and social investment targeting women and the vulnerable groups to bridge the gaps.
“This is in addition to the commencement of the RHI Women Agricultural Program (RHI-WASP) competition which targets over 3,000 women across the country and Young Farmers Club with the theme, ‘Every Home A Garden’ in order to encourage the culture of farming and good nutrition among women and the younger populace.”
Tinubu commended the Ugandan First Lady and Minister for Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, for spearheading the optimal health initiative which she described as a research-based programme that will contribute to life expectancy of women.
She called on African women to key into the programme with a view to reinvigorating the general push towards addressing the issue of gender equality in the region.
Responding, the Ugandan First Lady stated that the optimal women health framework will act as a gateway that will strengthen partnerships for the upliftment of the health and general well-being of women in Africa.
She commended the Nigerian First Lady for her commitment to growth and development of women and children, describing her as a beacon of hope, not only for Nigeria but the African Sub-Region as a whole.
