The first baby of the New Year, a male, named Baby Boluwatife Johnson, was born at 12.03am today, January 1, at the National Hospital in the nation’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
On hand to welcome the baby into the world was the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu. She was accompanied by the wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima; Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy Ohaneye; wife of the minister for works, Mrs. Umahi and the wife of the Minister of State for Defence, Mrs. Bello Matawalle.
The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Professor Mohammed Raji Mahmood, who received the First Lady and her team, expressed the appreciation of the hospital for the visit.
He seized the opportunity to appeal for more help to sustain the legacy of the hospital.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu also took time off to visit other babies that were born in the hospital. She distributed gifts to them, including a set of conjoined twins.
Senator Oluremi called on expectant mothers to prioritize their health and seek to know their HIV/AIDS status.
According to her, this will enable them prevent mother to child transmission of the disease and help themselves stay healthy.
She appealed to well meaning Nigerians to join forces with Government to adopt hospitals and wards to improve the healthcare delivery in the country as government alone cannot do it.
“I urge nursing mothers to take adequate care of their babies, ensure that they are immunized as and when due, practice exclusive breastfeeding and provide them with adequate nutritious and healthy weaning food for their brain development”.
“Expectant mothers should always take antenatal and postnatal care seriously, maintain basic hygiene at home, space their births, register their babies with the National population Commission, NPC and make efforts to enroll them in school at the appropriate age.
The First Lady said that her foundation, Renewed Hope Initiatve (RHI) is working in collaboration with the UNICEF to see that all births in Nigeria are registered in order to ensure the rights and protection of all children.
She said that her Initiative, the Renewed Hope Initiative, RHI is ready to lend a helping hand to facilitate the surgery to separate the conjoin twins.
