Owerri: Sen. Oluremi Tinubu has inaugurated a 100-bed Mother and Child Centre at Awo-Omamma General Hospital near Owerri, Imo. The state-of-the-art facility, constructed by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs), and named the Senator Oluremi Tinubu Mother and Child Centre, was inaugurated on Saturday.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the inauguration was performed on behalf of the First Lady by Hajia Nana Shettima, the Wife of the Vice President, Mr. Desmond Utomwen, Special Adviser, Publicity and Strategic Communication, OSSAP-SDGs, said in a statement on Sunday. She said that the inauguration was a critical milestone in Nigeria’s journey towards achieving the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
The First Lady emphasized that the centre reflects the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to delivering quality healthcare to Nigerians, particularly women and children. She urged women and families in the surrounding communities to take full advantage of the healthcare services offered at the centre and to take ownership of the facility to ensure its sustainability. She also extended gratitude to health workers, particularly nurses and midwives, for their role in improving maternal and child outcomes across the country.
The First Lady further commended the efforts of Imo State Governor, Sen. Hope Uzodimma, and his wife, Chioma Uzodimma, for their dedication to the wellbeing of the people. She praised the leadership of Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, for spearheading the implementation of impactful interventions across the nation.
The newly inaugurated hospital, sited within the Awo-Omamma General Hospital, features a comprehensive suite of healthcare amenities, including private and general wards, an operating theatre, recovery rooms, consultation units, scanning rooms, adult and paediatric intensive care units, a laboratory, ultrasound machines, emergency carts, delivery kits, and vacuum extractors.
Gov. Uzodimma hailed the project as a timely and strategic intervention that addressed critical gaps in the state’s health sector. He expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for his leadership and for recognizing the health and dignity of mothers and children as national priorities. He noted that naming the centre after Sen. Oluremi Tinubu is a well-deserved honor and a lasting reminder of her compassion and advocacy.
Orelope-Adefulire noted that the 100-bed facility is one of several built under the OSSAP-SDGs programme to strengthen sub-national healthcare systems. She stressed that the hospital was conceived and delivered as part of the SDGs’ commitment to ensuring no Nigerian is left behind in accessing quality health services. She highlighted findings from the Nigeria SDGs Progress Report 2024, lamenting that outcomes for maternal and child health remain below target.
The Imo State Government provided the land for the project, underscoring the collaborative effort between federal and state authorities. This initiative is a response to existing healthcare challenges and a step toward a future where every mother and child can live healthier, more dignified lives.
