Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo state on Wednesday, welcomed the first baby of the year 2025 at the State Specialist Hospital, Oke-Aro, Akure, the state capital.
Aiyedatiwa who was represented by the state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Deaconess Lola Fagbemi, welcomed all the babies born on New Year’s Day with baby gifts.
The first baby, a boy, named baby Awobona, was born at 8:20am, on Wednesday, weighing 2.9kg and was born to the family of Mr and Mrs Awobona
Also, two babies born on Christmas Day, Baby Adedokun (boy) and Baby Betiku (girl), also received gifts as the 2024 Christmas babies of the facility, while Baby Ogunmola (girl) received a gift as the last baby of the year 2024.
At the Arakale Comprehensive Health Centre, Baby Emmanuel (a boy) was born at exactly 12:15 am on January 1, 2025, and received a gift as the first baby of the year.
Additionally, two Christmas babies, Baby Emmanuel (a boy, weighing 4.1kg), born on December 25, 2024, at 12:27 am, and Baby Falana (a boy, weighing 3.0kg), born on the same day, were presented with Christmas gifts. Baby Akinwunmi (a girl, weighing 3.4kg), the last baby of 2024, also received a gift.
Fagbemi was accompanied by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Banji Awolowo Ajaka; the Director-General of the Ondo State Contributory Health Commission (ODCHC), Dr. Abiodun Oyeneyin; the representative of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Director of Public Health, Dr. Richard Adesoji; and the representative of the Permanent Secretary of the Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency and Director of Laboratory Services, Dr. Israel Adeyemi.
Fagbemi expressed gratitude to God for the safe delivery and congratulated the parents, on the arrival of their babies, urging them to ensure proper care for the babies so that they may grow into a responsible citizen of the state.
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The Director of Primary Health Care (PHC) in Akure South, Dr. Adeyemi Osowe, presented the babies to the Commissioner and praised Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for his impactful initiatives in the health sector.
He commended the state government over the implementation of the new minimum wage, urging the governor to address the pending allowances of health workers and the non-implementation of the minimum wage for these workers.
Speaking after the presentation of gifts to the babies, the commissioner stressed the importance of teamwork between parents in the care of their children.
She commended health workers for their dedication and professionalism in ensuring safe deliveries and called on them to continue their good work to improve healthcare delivery in the new year.
She assured that the government is committed to introducing initiatives and policies to protect the welfare of children in the state.
“The Government of Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa is focused on enhancing maternal and child policies to unlock every child’s potential in the state.
‘On this note, I charge parents to raise their children with good morals so they can become responsible citizens. They should embrace exclusive breastfeeding and family planning.”
Also speaking with newsmen, Dr. Abiodun Oyeneyin, Director General of the ODCHC, announced that enrolment for ORANGHIS for the informal sector would begin in January 2025.
Oyeneyin added that the commission is committed to improving the various insurance products to benefit beneficiaries.
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