Prenatal: A US based charity organization, “Azuka and Ify Foundation”, has donated three thousand packs of multiple micronutrient supplement to the Lagos State government for onward distribution to pregnant women across the local government areas of the state.
Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, Dr Victor Azuka Ubani, said each of the packs contained 180 tablets and that the gesture was a community based initiative to improve maternal health through free distribution of essential prenatal vitamins.
Dr Ubani while handing over the items to officials of the state government at a brief ceremony held at Lagos State Ministry of Health, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, said “Supporting Motherhood With Essential Nutrition”, is one of the core goals of the Foundation, disclosing that the exercise will be replicated in other states in Nigeria, particularly Delta.
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“Our philanthropic and charitable donations targets 10,000 bottles of prenatal vitamins to pregnant women as we are intentionally committed to the success and development of healthcare system in our country Nigeria.
“Our appeal is for the government to provide more conducive atmosphere, environments and opportunities for development foundations, NGOs like us to contribute to the growth of the health sector and by implications Nigeria’s overall development.
“On our part, we shall continue to work with the Lagos State Government and others who encourages our participation. As a foundation, we are beckoning to other individuals and Organizations in the Diasporas to emulate this gesture, and come home to invest in Nigeria ‘s development”, Dr Ubani stated.
Flanked by his wife and co-founder of the charity organization, Dr (Mrs) Joy Ifeyinwa Ubani, the Delta State born philanthropist, expressed optimism that the purpose in which the donations were made would be fulfilled.
For her part, Dr (Mrs) Joy Ifeayinwa Ubani who is the Project Manager, explained that the choice of pregnant women for a special healthcare programme was born out of the desire of the Foundation to reduce to the barest minimum incidence of maternal mortality in the society.
“I am not just a woman and mother, I am a certified Nurse and Co-Founder Southeast Healthcare in Atlanta-USA. I know what women go through when they are pregnant. So the donation is a community service geared towards improving maternal health of our mothers and their unborn children.
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“Azuka-Ify Foundation is very passionate about the welfare and wellbeing of women in our society and we will continue to collaborate with government to enhance quality healthcare for in Nigeria”, Dr Joy Ubani stated.
Receiving the items on behalf of the Lagos State Government, the Director Family Health and Nutrition, State Ministry of Health, Dr (Mrs) Oludara Folashade, thanked Azuka and Ify Foundation for donating the multiple micronutrient supplement for pregnant women in the state.
Dr Folashade said the supplement is not new in the state’s health system as its health facilities have been giving it to pregnant women until it recently ran out of stock, and commended Dr Azuka Ubani and Dr Ify Ubani for the choice of Lagos state for the programme.
She appealed for more of the supplements for the state, even as he charged other diaspora organizations to emulate the kind gesture of Azuka and Ify Foundation by supporting health care reforms and development in Nigeria.
A representative of Mrs Abike Daibiri, Presidential Adviser on Diaspora Affairs, Dipo Odebowale, emphasized the need for Nigerians living outside the shores of the country to contribute to nation’s development and commended Azuka and Ify Foundation for all its strides and achievements in humanity and societal development.
The highpoint of the ceremony was the symbolic presentation of a pack of the of multiple micronutrient supplement to a pregnant woman sighted around the Secretariat while the programme was on.
