UYO
The Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State, Lady Helen Eno Obareki, has urged nursing mothers to embrace exclusive breastfeeding, describing it as the safest, most complete and cost-effective source of nutrition for infants, capable of giving every child a healthy start in life.
Obareki gave the charge on Saturday during the official flag-off of the Ibom Open Maternity (IOM) Project 2026, and the commencement of activities marking the 2026 World Breastfeeding Week in Akwa Ibom.
Represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Hon. Inibehe Silas , she urged mothers not to deny their babies breast milk, stressing that breastfeeding remains one of the most effective and affordable ways of giving children a healthy start in life.
“God gave mothers breast milk freely, and it is sufficient for every child. No mother should deny her baby the benefit of breastfeeding because it provides the nourishment every child needs for healthy growth and development,” she said.
Obareki described the Ibom Open Maternity Project as a life-changing initiative that demonstrates the commitment of Governor Umo Eno’s administration to improving maternal and child healthcare across Akwa Ibom .
According to her, the advocacy walk from the Globe Roundabout through Aka Road to the ARISE Unity Park symbolised the collective resolve of government, development partners and stakeholders to champion maternal and child health across the state.
Obareki announced that the medical outreach component of the project would commence on Monday, August 3, 2026 in Ukanafun and Oruk Anam Local Government Areas, marking the beginning of a statewide intervention designed to deliver free healthcare services directly to women and children in rural communities.
She explained that the outreach was deliberately structured to reach the grassroots, ensuring that pregnant women, nursing mothers and children in remote communities benefit from quality healthcare without the burden of traveling long distances.
She therefore, called on local government chairmen and wives of the chairmen, women groups, healthcare workers, non-governmental organisations and community leaders in the benefiting local government councils to intensify sensitisation efforts to ensure massive participation in the programme.
The coordinator encouraged women across the state to enrol in the Akwa Ibom State Health Insurance Scheme, describing it as one of Governor Umo Eno’s landmark healthcare initiatives aimed at providing affordable and accessible medical care for residents.
“This project is taking healthcare to the doorsteps of our people. We want every mother, especially those in our rural communities, to take advantage of these services and live healthier lives,” she added.
She commended development partners, medical personnel, women organisations, youths and other stakeholders for supporting the initiative, noting that their collaboration would further strengthen efforts to improve maternal and child health outcomes in Akwa Ibom .
The Executive Secretary, Akwa Ibom State Primary Healthcare Development AgencyAKSHCDA),Dr. Eno Attah, encouraged mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies for the first six months of life and to continue breastfeeding with appropriate complementary feeding until the child is two years old.
Attah emphasised that exclusive breastfeeding was essential for the healthy growth and development of infants, noting that breast milk provides complete nutrition for babies in their first six months, boosts their immunity, and reduces the risk of childhood illnesses.
Participants at the Ibom Open Maternity (IOM) Project 2026 during a road walk in Uyo metropolis , recently.
In her remarks, the chairman of the Medical Women Association of Nigeria( MWAN), Dr. Mary doh, described the benefits of breastfeeding as immeasurable, noting that it promotes healthy child development while fostering a strong emotional connection between mother and child.
Udoh commended the various partners and stakeholders for supporting the breastfeeding campaign and for helping to spread awareness across communities in the state, calling on mothers to embrace recommended breastfeeding practices to ensure healthier outcomes for both mothers and their children.
Representatives of the World Health Organization( WHO), Ibom Air, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists( NAWOJ), the National Council of Women’s Societies(NCWS), Excellence Community Education Welfare Scheme(ECEWS), and other partners reaffirmed their support for the advocacy.
They stressed the need to sustain breastfeeding practices, describing them as critical to improving child survival, strengthening the bond between mothers and their babies, and promoting the overall health and well-being of families.
The Ibom Open Maternity Project, coordinated by CareLife Character Foundation in collaboration with other organisations, is the flagship programme for the 2026 World Breastfeeding Week.
The initiative will provide integrated medical outreach services across 20 local government areas, targeting more than 20,000 pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and children.