The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has unveiled two flagship health programmes to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary — the Mother–Baby Kit Initiative and the Abuja Breathe Fresh Air Project.
Speaking at the launch in Asokoro District Hospital, the FCT Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, said the interventions reflect a holistic vision of healthcare, focusing on safe childbirth and reducing household air pollution.
Her Special adviser on media, Austine Eklemue in a statement quoted her thus,
“No woman should face childbirth without the tools and support she needs, and no child should begin life without adequate care,” she said. “These kits show our deep commitment to maternal and child health.”
The Mother–Baby Kits will provide essential supplies for labour, delivery, and neonatal care across the territory, while the Breathe Fresh Air Project aims to replace firewood, charcoal, and kerosene with clean LPG cookers to curb indoor smoke-related illnesses.
Mahmoud stressed that household air pollution remains a silent killer in Nigerian homes, warning that respiratory diseases linked to smoke are worsening maternal and child health outcomes.
She added that both initiatives align with the Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that FCTA has boosted its health workforce through training, improved service conditions, hospital renovations, and the establishment of a Public Health Emergency Operations Centre.
Earlier, the Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, highlighted Nigeria’s high maternal and infant mortality rates as justification for the initiatives.
“Too many women still lose their lives during childbirth, and too many babies don’t live to see their first birthday,” she said. “The Renewed Hope Mother–Baby Kit is designed to change that reality.”
She reaffirmed the administration’s commitment, under the leadership of Barr. Nyesom Wike, to expanding access to quality healthcare, especially in underserved communities.
As Nigeria celebrates 65 years of independence, the FCTA urged citizens to envision a future where “every home is healthier, every birth is safer, and every breath is cleaner.”
