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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has unveiled two flagship health initiatives aimed at improving maternal and child health, as well as environmental sustainability. The launch took place at the Asokoro District Hospital, Abuja, yesterday.
FCT Minister of State, Mariya Mahmoud, highlighted that the programmes embody a comprehensive health vision—protecting mothers and newborns during childbirth, while, also, safeguarding families from household air pollution.
“These two health flagship programmes represent a holistic vision of health: protecting mothers and newborns during childbirth, while safeguarding families from the dangers of household air pollution,” Mahmoud said.
According to a statement issued by her media aide, Austine Elemue, she elaborated on the Mother-Baby kits, which contain essential medical items and consumables to support safe labour, delivery, and neonatal care across the FCT.
“No woman should face childbirth without the tools and support she needs, and no child should begin life without adequate care. These kits reflect our deep commitment to maternal and child health and to ensuring that every mother and baby are given the best start possible,” she stated.
Mahmoud described the Abuja Breathe Fresh Air Project as a forward-looking initiative to curb indoor air pollution, which poses serious health risks from smoke inhalation. The project aims to replace polluting fuels like firewood, charcoal, and kerosene with efficient Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cookers in vulnerable households.
“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 said.
The initiatives form part of the broader Renewed Hope Agenda transforming healthcare in the FCT. Mahmoud highlighted investments in workforce training, improved working conditions, hospital infrastructure upgrades, and the establishment of a Public Health Emergency Operations Centre to strengthen service delivery.
On the occasion of Nigeria’s independence anniversary, Mahmoud urged citizens to recommit to building a healthier FCT where “every home is healthier, every birth is safer, and every breath is cleaner.”
Earlier, Mandate Secretary of FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Adedolapo Fasawe, underscored the urgent need for such interventions given Nigeria’s high maternal and infant mortality rates.
“Despite progress made, too many women still lose their lives during childbirth, and too many newborns do not live to see their first birthday,” she lamented. “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.”
Fasawe reiterated the FCTA’s commitment, under the leadership of Nyesom Wike, to investing in strategic health programmes that impact rural communities’ lives directly.
