Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has launched the free distribution of Mother–Baby Kits and the Abuja Breathe Fresh Air Project as part of activities to celebrate Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary.
The programmes were formally unveiled by the FCT Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, who represented Wike at the ceremony held at Asokoro District Hospital in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
According to Dr. Mahmoud, the two flagship health programmes represent a holistic vision of health—protecting mothers and newborns during childbirth while also safeguarding families from the dangers of household air pollution.
The Breathe Clean Air–Abuja Project is themed “Renewing Hope, One Home at a Time”, while the free distribution of Mother–Baby Kits is tagged “FCT Baby Kit: Renewing Hope, One Baby at a Time.”
“It is Wike renewing hope one baby at a time, one home at a time, in conjunction with or powered by IHS,” Dr. Mahmoud said.
She added that the initiatives symbolize the administration’s resolve to invest in both immediate healthcare needs and long-term environmental sustainability.
Dr. Mahmoud explained that the Mother–Baby Kits contain essential medical items and consumables to support safe labour, delivery, and neonatal care for women and babies 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.
On the Abuja Breathe Fresh Air Project, Mahmoud described it as a bold, forward-looking initiative designed to reduce indoor air pollution in vulnerable households.
She emphasized that by replacing polluting fuels such as firewood, charcoal, and kerosene with smart, efficient Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cookers, the administration is tackling one of the silent but deadly health risks in the home—respiratory diseases caused by smoke inhalation.
She affirmed that both transformative programmes form part of the broader Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking further, Mahmoud said the administration has also strengthened its workforce through improved conditions and training, while infrastructure upgrades—ranging from hospital renovations and call rooms to the establishment of a Public Health Emergency Operations Centre—have boosted efficiency and resilience.
She used the occasion of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary to call on Nigerians to recommit themselves to building an FCT “where every home is healthier, every birth is safer, and every breath is cleaner.”
Earlier, the Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, lamented the high rate of maternal and infant mortality in Nigeria, noting that despite progress, too many women still lose their lives during childbirth and many newborns do not live to see their first birthday.
“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. Each kit contains basic but critical items needed to ensure a hygienic and safe delivery both for the mother and the child,” she said.
She reiterated the FCT Administration’s commitment, under the leadership of Barr. Nyesom Wike, to investing in strategic health interventions that directly impact rural communities.
There were side attractions at the event, including the free distribution of Baby Kits and free cooking gas to pregnant women present at the Asokoro General Hospital launch.
Dignitaries at the occasion included the Mandate Secretary for Women Affairs, Adedayo Benjamin Laniyi; Permanent Secretary, Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr. Baba-Gana Adams; Acting Director-General, Hospital Management Board of the FCT, Abubakar Ahmadu; and Acting Executive Secretary, Primary Health Care Development, Hajiya Rakiyya Wamako.
