The Wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, on New Year’s day, welcomed and presented gifts items to the first babies of the year in Harvey Road Health Centre, Onikan Health Centre and Lagos Island Maternity Hospital, all in Lagos.
The first baby of the year at Onikan Health Centre is a male weighing 2.5 kg delivered at 12:00 am by Mrs Adesola Ajila, while the first baby of year at the Lagos Island Maternity Hospital is another male that weighed 3.1 kg and was delivered at 12:10 am by Mrs Simbiat Layembi.
The first baby at Harvey Road Hospital is also a male weighing 3.2kg at birth and delivered at exactly 12:15 am by Mrs. Shukurat Abdulganiu at Harvey Road Hospital, Lagos.
Welcoming the babies at the hospitals, Sanwo-Olu said the birth of a newborn is a symbolic and significant event that brings forth the assurance that human heritage is carried on to the next generation.
“The gift of a new baby is a priceless one from God. It, therefore, gladdens me to be in the midst of the Lagos Health Family to receive and celebrate the First Baby of the year 2022.
“The State Government, through the Health Ministry, has continued to deliver on its mandate to all residents in the State. Over the years, the State Government has strengthened its Maternal and Child Health policies and programmes, upgrading and constructing new Maternal and Child health facilities towards the provision of efficient, accessible, and affordable mother and child services.
“These efforts have paid off, resulting in a significant reduction in the high morbidity and mortality among women and under-five children in the State.”
“As we are excited with the safe and sound arrival of the bundles of joy, once again, I congratulate the parents of the babies. May the good Lord bless the newborns with sound health, long life to grow up to fulfill destiny and become useful citizens.
While presenting gifts to the parents of the newly born, Sanwo-Olu commended all philanthropists, corporate bodies, Non-governmental organizations and civil society groups involved in any form of partnership towards complimenting the vision of the state government in the health sector.
In his remarks, the State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi noted that the first baby of the year remains a symbolic event which marks the first activity of the government every year adding that the event is a demonstration of the priority placed on the provision of sustainable health care delivery in the state.
“While we celebrate the birth of babies we are also cognizant that many mothers go through a very difficult time to give birth; and we are still experiencing childhood, infant mortality and maternal deaths in the process of delivering babies.
“So we are constantly aspiring to improve the circumstances, the infrastructure, the equipment and our human resources to ensure that our pregnant women, throughout the gestation of carrying the Baby are looked after properly and when the time comes for delivery, that they are given the opportunity to have a safe birth.
-Vanguard
