ETIM EKPO -Two newly -born male babies have been safely delivered to two mothers at the Model Primary Health Centre, Utu Etim Ekpo, Etim Ekpo Local Government Area, during the Ibom Open Maternity( IOM)Medical Missions marking the 2026 World Breastfeeding Week.
One of the beneficiaries, Beauty Ubon, went into labour while attending the programme and was safely delivered of a baby boy at about 5:00 p.m.
Another beneficiary, Victoria Hope, also gave birth to a baby boy at about 1:00am, with medical personnel on ground to attend to both mothers and their newborns.
The programme organised by Ibom Open Maternity in collaboration with the Patience Umo Eno Golden Initiative for All, GIFA, and other partners, provided women with access to medical attention, maternal health education and counselling on breastfeeding, antenatal care, family planning and safe motherhood.
The Team Lead of GIFA, Pastor Anne Abraham, urged mothers to begin breastfeeding their babies promptly after delivery, stressing that exclusive breastfeeding provides essential nutrients and strengthens the health and development of children.
She also advised women to embrace family planning and properly space their children, while urging young girls to avoid early pregnancy and focus on building themselves before starting families.
According to her, the IOM Project has continued to move across communities in Akwa Ibom, sensitising women on the importance of breastfeeding and providing opportunities for mothers to access healthcare services without having to travel far from their communities.
On the birth of babies during the IOM project, Abraham described the two deliveries recorded as a testament of accessible maternal healthcare, stressing the need for expectant mothers to seek skilled medical attention.
The Chairman of Etim Ekpo Local Government Council, Mr. Gideon Uwa, appreciated the team for the initiative, saying the intervention demonstrated the positive impact of the administration of Governor Umo Eno and GIFA on people at the grassroots, pledging the council’s support for programmes that improve the health and wellbeing of residents, particularly women and children.
Also speaking, the wife of the council chairman, Unyime described breastfeeding as essential to the survival and healthy development of every child, explaining that colostrum, the first breast milk produced after delivery, contains vital nutrients and antibodies that help protect newborns and support their early development.
She added that exclusive breastfeeding promotes healthy physical and mental development, strengthens the emotional bond between mother and child and contributes to raising healthier children.
She commended Governor Umo Eno for supporting the IOM vision, noting that the project had helped bring maternal healthcare and health education closer to women at the grassroots.
Similarly, the Executive Assistant to the Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Jennifer Imeh, advised girls below the age of 16 to abstain from sexual activity and avoid teenage pregnancy, urging young women to become self-reliant and adequately prepared before having children.
She also encouraged women to adopt family planning methods to space their children and make informed decisions about the size of their families.
Speaking on behalf of the IOM team, Mr. Smart Okuku extolled the Etim Ekpo Local Government Council for embracing the project’s vision, disclosing that a complete medical team was deployed to the centre to examine and attend to beneficiaries.
Okuku said the initiative was designed to combine healthcare delivery with awareness on safe pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and child development.