The Naval Officers’ Wives Association (NOWA) has inaugurated the construction of N15bn 200-bed capacity hospital for women and children in Abuja.
The National President of the association, Mrs Nana-Aisha Gambo, said the project was the biggest the association had ever embarked upon since its inception and one of its kind in Nigeria.
Gambo said the project was a direct intervention in support of Navy operations.
“Indeed, the uncomfortable state of health of a reasonable population of Nigerian women and children are known to all of us.
“In fact, the recent UNICEF statistics showed that Nigeria contributes 10 per cent of global deaths among pregnant mothers, representing a maternal mortality rate of 576 deaths per 100,000 live births which is the fourth highest in the world.
“UNICEF also suggests that 262,000 babies die at birth in Nigeria annually which is the second highest national figure in the world.
“Because we are involved, it is not surprising that we are losing our women and children daily due to inadequate medical care and particularly insufficient mother and child hospitals.
This, she said, prompted the members of the association to take their destinies and those of the future generations into consideration by coming up with the specialised women and children hospital.
“The hospital, with an estimated cost of N15 billion, will be sited on 2.1 hectares of land in Galadimawa, Abuja, and it is expected to commence operations in the second quarter of 2023.”
The Special Guest of Honour, the wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, commended NOWA for the initiative.
Buhari added that the project, when completed, would no doubt go a long way in catering for the health care needs of women and children in the country.
Buhari, who was represented by the wife of the Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, said that the statistics on health care needs, particularly as it related to women and children, revealed a need for urgent intervention.
“Nigeria grapples with a growing population amid dwindling resources to revamp health care need.
“This very project keys into president’s desire to ensure that every Nigerian, especially women and children in the face of dwindling resources, have access to good health care.
“The Federal Government will continue to intervene to ensure quality health delivery, which it has demonstrated with the revatilisation of primary health centre across the country.”
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Malam Muhammad Bello, represented by the Mandate Secretary, FCT Health and Human Services Abubakar Tafida, said the project would provide succor to women and children in the city.
Also, the President of Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA), Mrs Vickie Irabor, commended the association for embarking on such life saving project.
Irabor added that she had no doubt that the project would go a long way in catering for the health care needs of the association’s families, the host community, as well as the entire country.(NAN)
