Wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs Bolanle Ambode on Tuesday, 1st of January welcomed the first baby of the year in the State that was delivered at 12am to the family of Mr and Mrs Adegbesan at Island Maternity, the baby weighed 3.7Kg.
The annual celebration of the first baby of the year in the State held separately at Shomolu General Hospital, Maternal and Child Care Centre (MCC), Gbaja, and Lagos Island Maternity Hospital Tuesday.
The governor’s wife restated her call for pregnant women in the State to always patronize government health facilities for safe delivery and also immunize their children against killer diseases.
She said it was important for mothers to give quality attention and priority to the well-being of their children in the overall interest of the society.
“The huge government expenditure on infant and maternal health infrastructure, could only be justified by commensurate use of the modern facilities by the women, their babies and the children”, she said.
She noted further that government’s efforts in stemming maternal and infant mortality would be slow in materializing, if expectant mothers did not go to the centres to use the facilities.
According to her, “I wish to note that Lagos State Government has continued to strengthen the health sector with the provision of neonatal care units, equipment and resources to our State hospitals, to enhance the quality of maternal and child care services in our State.
“The workers in the Primary Health Care centres and General Hospitals are committed and determined to provide quality care, but you have to go there and use the facilities. Mother and Child Centres are also being located in nearly every neighbourhood of the State, for excellent infant and maternal health care delivery.”
Stressing the need for immunization, she said: “My passionate appeal to mothers, therefore, is to ensure they complete the full course of immunization for their children, to prevent childhood killers like measles, diarrhea, pneumonia, tuberculosis, tetanus and hepatitis, to mention a few. In addition, parents must avoid the use of contaminated water, malnutrition and poor sanitation, as they also contribute to childhood mortality.
The Governor’s wife also commended the National Population Commission (NPC) for registering newborns at Lagos hospitals, urging parents to always cooperate with the agency, for accurate data compilation.
Besides, she urged expectant mothers to maintain good hygiene and health-promoting lifestyle in pregnancy, to ensure the well-being of their expected babies.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris said as part of efforts to facilitate access to health care, the State Government recently implemented the Health Insurance scheme, and urged all residents to take advantage of the initiative.
“It is our hope in this New Year, with the implementation of the Lagos State Health Scheme; more Lagosians will have access to improved services and enjoy the kind of care they would have been unable to before now.
“With the exemplary leadership of His Excellency, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, you can be confident that the State will continue to stimulate the required quality of health service delivery that is poised to address existing health gaps and even new health challenges that might emerge in the future,” Idris said.
Also speaking, wife of the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) for next year’s gubernatorial election in the State, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu commended Governor Ambode for his commitment and investment in provision of infrastructure to scale up the health sector.
Ibijoke, who is the Chief Medical Director of Shomolu General Hospital, said it was on record that the facility had enjoyed tremendous support from the State Government, while the Governor recently approved funds to demolish and rebuild the distressed main building, among others.
At Shomolu General Hospital, the first baby was delivered by the family of Awofeso Adara Ojo by 1:47am with a weight of 3.0kg, while at Gbaja MCC, the first baby was delivered by the family of Amudalat Ojo by 1:58am with a weight of 2kg.
Aside the gifts given to the first babies, the wife of the governor also distributed Special Mummy’s Pack to all the babies at the three hospitals.