Wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Monday flagged off the distribution of 10,000 professional kits to midwives in the Southeast region, reaffirming her commitment to improving healthcare outcomes across Nigeria.
Speaking at the event held at the International Conference Centre, Enugu, Mrs. Tinubu said the initiative is part of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), which aims to support frontline health workers and strengthen maternal and child health services nationwide.
Accompanied by the wife of the Vice President, Hajia Nana Shettima, and several governors’ wives, Mrs. Tinubu revealed that since January 2024, a total of 50,000 professional kits — including scrubs and Crocs — have already been distributed across the Southwest, South-South, Northeast, Northwest, and North-Central zones.
She noted that at least 60,000 health workers have completed relevant training under the initiative, while the RHI is distributing 60,000 kits to further encourage and support healthcare professionals in their duties.
“This is to complement the ongoing Federal Government’s retraining of 120,000 frontline health workers nationwide,” she said. “I thank God that today, we’re concluding the distribution of these kits to every part of Nigeria. I’m very excited about that.” Mrs. Tinubu disclosed that the project was made possible through the support of an anonymous global partner committed to improving health outcomes, whom she first engaged at the 2023 United Nations General Assembly and later at the 2024 African Union Summit.
She also announced plans to launch the Free to Shine Triple Elimination Campaign in Enugu on Tuesday. The campaign targets the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis, and aims to reduce maternal and child mortality.
In further support of economic empowerment, she said the RHI would provide a grant of ₦50 million to support 1,000 petty traders in Enugu State, each receiving ₦50,000 to recapitalize their businesses. An additional ₦50 million, courtesy of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, will benefit another 500 petty traders in the state. Mrs. Tinubu lauded the Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, and his wife, Nkechinyere, for their efforts in improving primary healthcare in the state.
Earlier, Mrs. Nkechinyere Mbah praised the RHI’s impact across the country, emphasizing that empowering midwives plays a critical role in reducing maternal and child mortality. “Midwives are at the frontlines of maternal and child health. The distribution of 10,000 professional kits—comprising scrubs and Crocs—is a significant boost to our healthcare system,” she stated.
“This gesture affirms the value and dignity of our healthcare professionals and reflects transformative leadership.”
She added that Enugu State is proud to benefit from the intervention, which will foster healthier outcomes for mothers and newborns.
Citing global research, she noted that a robust midwifery workforce could prevent up to 41% of maternal deaths, 39% of neonatal deaths, and 26% of stillbirths.
Governor Peter Mbah also commended President Bola Tinubu for prioritizing primary healthcare rehabilitation nationwide. He said Enugu had leveraged the federal initiative to restore access and enhance care delivery at the grassroots.
THE GUARDIAN
