By Daniel Tyokua
The minister of State for FCT, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, has donated delivery kits and baby items to 600 mothers of new born babies in select Primary Health Care Centres across the six Area Councils of the territory as part of activities to celebrate the New Year.
She specifically offset the medical bills of an indigent father, Mr. Salihu Abubakar, whose wife gave birth to a triplet in Gwagwalada Teaching Hospital and presented undisclosed cash donation to mothers for the upkeep of their babies.
Presenting the donated items to beneficiaries at Dutse Makaranta Primary Health Care Centre in Bwari Area Council, the minister described the successful delivery recorded in various primary healthcare centres as a bundle of joy, just as she prayed that joy would continue to radiate in the Federal Capital Territory in 2022 and beyond.
The minister who was represented by the Special Assistant on Primary Health Care, Mr. Muhammed Ibrahim, tasked mothers on early training of their children, noting that children are gift from God.
While calling on mothers to accept all vaccines given during government approved immunization campaigns, the minister used the occasion to remind them of the need to ensure that their babies complete the routine immunization before the age of two years,
“Remember to take care of yourselves and attend Post Natal clinics and continue to take your routine medicines. On my part, I will continue to identify with you and sharing in your joy.
“Since I came to office in 2019, I have continued to implement and support initiatives that would improve the health of mothers and children particularly towards reducing maternal and child deaths from preventable causes, also empowering women to contribute meaningfully to the upkeep of themselves and their families.
“I will also encourage you to always contribute to the growth of the family in particular and community at large. All babies born today are welcome and I pray to God to continue to grant mothers and babies good health, while the fathers continue to have the means to support their families,” Aliyu stated.
She, however, used the occasion to reiterate the FCT Administration’s determination to support those in genuine needs and emphasized the administration’s desire to promote the culture of being our brother’s keepers at all times.
Earlier, one of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Dennis Uke, mother of baby Adiya Uke, in Dutse Makaranta Primary Health Care Centre, who delivered at 4:10am thanked the minister for the kind gesture, adding that the items and cash donation would assist mothers at this early stage of delivery.
The ministerial team also visited Old Kutunku Primary Health Care Centre in Gwagwalada Area Council, Lugbe Primary Health Care Centre in Abuja Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Dutse Primary Health Care in Bwari Area Council, Dabi Bako Primary Health Care in Kwali Area Council, New Township Clinic in Abaji Area Council amongst others.
However, the FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, also donated assorted food items and clothing to over 300 persons with disabilities as part of her reach-out programme to the vulnerable in the society.
Presenting the items to the beneficiaries, the Mandate Secretary in charge of FCT Social Development Secretariat, Hajia Hadiza Mohammed Kabir, stated that the donated items would go a long way to assist the vulnerables especially at this festive period.
Speaking on behalf of persons with disabilities, Princess Ada Obi, acknowledged the kind gesture of the minister, while assuring that the items would be fairly distributed to all the beneficiaries.
Items donated include 300 cartons of Indomie, 300 packs of Combo, 300 bags of 10kg rice and 300 pieces of Ankara cloth.
