A major step forward in rural healthcare has been taken with the opening of the Renewed Hope Mothers and Child Specialist Hospital. This new 100-bed hospital is located in Oko-Ita, Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State.
The hospital was built under the Renewed Hope Agenda through the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs). It is meant to reduce deaths among mothers and children by offering full maternal, newborn, and child healthcare services. It also aims to give people in Ibiono Ibom and nearby communities better access to quality healthcare.
Desmond Utomwen, media aide to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, said this project shows President Bola Tinubu’s strong commitment to improving healthcare and reaching the Sustainable Development Goals, especially for people in need.
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, represented by Deputy Governor Senator Akon Eyakenyi, praised the project. He said it supports his government’s goal of making healthcare affordable across the state. “President Tinubu knows that a nation’s true wealth lies in the health of its people. This hospital helps meet important healthcare needs in rural areas and supports the goal of good health and well-being,” he said.
Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on SDGs, said at the hospital’s opening that it is more than just a building. “This hospital is a promise to protect the health of our mothers and children, who are vital to our society. It shows the government’s strong commitment to giving quality care to those who need it most,” she said.
She linked the hospital’s opening to President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which focuses on fairness and helping all citizens. She thanked the President for his leadership and said that true development starts at the grassroots, with access to quality healthcare as a key part.
Orelope-Adefulire also spoke about global problems like climate change, conflict, and the effects of COVID-19, which have hurt health systems and slowed development. “Even with these big challenges, this hospital gives hope and shows progress in Nigeria’s healthcare system,” she said.
The hospital includes modern medical equipment such as operating rooms, recovery areas, private and shared wards, consulting rooms, and diagnostic tools. These include an ultra-sound machine, tools for safe childbirth, and emergency kits. The hospital is built to offer safe and respectful care and supports Nigeria’s goals for better health and development.
She called on the Akwa Ibom State Government, traditional leaders, health workers, and the local community to help keep the hospital running well. She also praised Governor Eno for making the project possible and encouraged continued teamwork to make sure the hospital meets its goals.