IBENO-Over 4,000 pregnant women and nursing mothers have benefited from free medical check-ups, healthcare services and care packs provided through the Ibom Open Maternity (IOM) project and the Golden Initiative For All (GIFA) in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom .
The programme, held on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at the Primary Health Centre, Upenekang, in Ibeno Local Government Area, was organised by Carelife Character Foundation in partnership with the Ibeno Local Government Council, with support from GIFA and other partners.
Speaking on behalf of GIFA, the Press Secretary to the First Lady, Mrs Uduak Ekong, encouraged mothers to embrace exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of their babies’ lives and continue breastfeeding until the child is two years old, emphasising that it provides essential nutrients that support brain development and overall growth.
Ekong also urged pregnant women to make regular antenatal care a priority, noting that timely medical check-ups enable healthcare professionals to monitor the health of both mother and baby and identify potential complications early.
“Please take advantage of available healthcare services and follow the advice of medical professionals concerning proper nutrition, adequate rest, hygiene and regular health checks. These are essential to ensuring healthy pregnancies and the proper development of children,” she added
The Chairperson of Ibeno Local Government Council, Mrs Glory Effiong, appreciated Carelife Character Foundation and other partners for bringing the medical intervention to the grassroots.
Effiong said the programme was making a meaningful difference in the lives of residents, making a case for organizations to support the renovation of dilapidated health facilities in riverine communities, to boost access to health care by the people.
The Team Lead and Coordinator of the Ibom Open Maternity( IOM )project, Dr Aniekeme George, described the initiative as a collaborative effort involving several partners committed to improving access to quality maternal and child healthcare at the grassroots.
George said the IOM project was designed to bring essential healthcare services closer to women and children, particularly those who may face challenges accessing such services, adding that the continuous support of partners would sustain and expand the initiative.
In his remarks, the Member representing Ibiono Ibom State Constituency in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and Chairman of the House Committee on Health, Nutrition and Food Security, Hon. Moses Essien, commended the organisers and partners for their intervention.
Essien stressed that the healthcare needs of the state should not be left solely in the hands of government, noting that partnerships with relevant organisations and stakeholders were necessary to improve healthcare delivery.
The lawmaker also reiterated the importance of exclusive breastfeeding, describing breast milk as more nutritious for infants than formula and urging mothers to embrace the practice for the benefit of their children.
The Ibeno Local Government Chairman later led a team of Frontline partners in the IOM ,including the Chief Executive Officer of the Excellence Community Education Welfare Scheme(ECEWS), Dr Andy Eyo, the Executive Secretary of the Akwa Ibom State Primary Health Care Development Agency(AKSPHCDA), Dr Eno Attah; State President of Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria(MWAN), Akwa Ibom State Chapter, Dr Mary Udoh; and representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO), Imabridge Africa; Heartland Alliance; GIFA, Centre for Clinical Care and Clinical Research in Nigeria (CCCRN); on a guided tour of the different sections of the IOM Medical Missions