Traditional rulers across the country and the entire Nigerians have been called upon to throw their weight behind the advocacy towards tackling the pressing health issues affecting Nigerian women, including the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS, Female Genital Mutilation, Hepatitis B, Syphilis, Tuberculosis, among other related ailements.
Oluremi Tinubu, the Wife of the President, who made the call on Thursday in Akure, the Ondo State capital while flagging off the distribution of professional kits to 10,000 nurses and midwives across the Southwest, said the aim was to improve the well-being of women and girls across the country.
The Wife of the President, while announcing her Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) plans to distribute no fewer than 10,000 professional kits, comprising crocs and scrubs, to nurses and midwives across the Southwest region, hinted that a new menstrual hygiene campaign tagged Flow with Confidence, is a platform through which her office intends to supply 10,000 sanitary pads to young girls in each State, with a focus on rural areas.
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According to her, “ending female genital mutilation is also one of our key priorities. It is a harmful and outdated tradition built on myths. It does not stop promiscuity, as some believe. Instead, it destroys the lives of young girls”. Tinubu, therefore, urged the stakeholders across the country to help spread the message in their respective States.
Besides, she spoke about boosting food production through the Young Farmers’ Club and Women’s Gardening Initiative, which she said, had attracted a massive N400 billion intervention fund from the Ministry of Agriculture.
Oluwaseun Aiyedatiwa, the Wife of Ondo State Governor, in her speech said; “this intervention will also go a long way to enhance maternal and child healthcare across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti States which constitute the South-West region.
“These incentives will go a long way to encourage, inspire and support our dedicated midwives and reduce infant mortality and morbidity in the Country.
“I therefore urge the beneficiaries to see this as a call to serve, bringing hope and care to mothers, newborns and the vulnerable across the region. You should strive to justify these benefits by working hard to ensure improved health outcomes in our Country, Nigeria.”
While Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, in his remarks, said his administration would continue to place priority on the welfare, empowerment and development of women in Ondo State, irrespective of their affiliations.
”We are ensuring that the plight of our women are given the needed attention, particularly the less privileged with a view to giving them necessary support to blossom in their various endeavours.
“In addition, we are putting in place a range of programmes aimed at promoting the welfare of persons with disabilities, including skills acquisition programmes and access to assistive devices. We are also establishing initiatives aimed at promoting the welfare of the elderly, including the provision of geriatric care services and support for elderly persons.
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“Our administration is committed to building a society that is inclusive, equitable and just for all. We are also appointing women to positions in the State Executive Council and other sensitive positions where they have proved their mettle like their male counterparts.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to express our deepest gratitude to The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR for his purposeful leadership in Nigeria, which has given all of us a renewed hope, his unfeigned love for our dear State and for the numerous Federal Government projects being implemented in Ondo State”, he said.
