Ambode’s Wife welcomes first baby of the year

The Wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode welcomes the first baby of the year in the State born at 12.00am to the family of Mr. and Mrs. Adegbesan at the Island Maternity, Lagos, weighing 3.7Kg.

Mrs. Ambode renewed her call for pregnant women in the State to always patronize government health facilities for safe delivery and also immunize their children against killer diseases.

At the annual celebration of the first baby of the year 2019 in Lagos State held separately at Shomolu General Hospital, Maternal and Child Care Centre, MCC, Gbaja, and Lagos Island Maternity Hospital, the Governor’s wife said it was important for mothers to give quality attention and priority to the well-being of their children in the overall interest of the society.

Mrs. Ambode said the huge government expenditure on infant and maternal health infrastructure, could only be justified by commensurate utility of the modern facilities by the women, their babies and the children.

“I wish to note that Lagos State Government has continued to strengthen the health sector with the provision of neonatal care units, equipment and resources to our State hospitals, to enhance the quality of maternal and child care services in our State.

“The workers in the Primary Health Care centres and General Hospitals are committed and determined to provide quality care, but you have to go there and use the facilities. Mother and Child Centres are also being located in nearly every neighbourhood of the State, for excellent infant and maternal health care delivery,” Mrs. Ambode declared.

She encouraged expectant mothers to maintain good hygiene and health-promoting lifestyle in pregnancy, to ensure the well-being of their expected babies.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, also noted that as part of efforts to facilitate access to health care, the State Government recently implemented the Health Insurance scheme, and urged all residents to take advantage of the initiative.

“It is our hope in this New Year, with the implementation of the Lagos State Health Scheme, more Lagosians will have access to improved services and enjoy the kind of care they would have been unable to before now.

“With the exemplary leadership of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, you can be confident that the State will continue to stimulate the required quality of health service delivery that is poised to address existing health gaps and even new health challenges that might emerge in the future,” Idris said.

The wife of the All Progressives Congress, APC, 2019 governorship candidate, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, who is the Chief Medical Director of Shomolu General Hospital, said that it is on record that the facility had enjoyed tremendous support from the State Government, while the Governor recently approved funds to demolish and rebuild the distressed main building, among others.

At Shomolu General Hospital, the first baby of the year 2019 was delivered by the family of Awofeso Adara Ojo at 1:47am with a weight of 3.0kg, while at Gbaja MCC; the first baby was delivered by the family of Amudalat Ojo at 1:58am with a weight of 2kg.

Besides the gifts given to the first babies, Mrs. Ambode also shared Special Mummy’s Pack to all the babies at the three hospitals.