First lady rallies southwest monarchs against FGM, hepatitis, HIV/AIDS
Nigeria’s first lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has urged traditional rulers in the South West to support efforts to eliminate Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Hepatitis B, HIV/AIDS, and other pressing health challenges affecting women. Speaking in Akure, Ondo State, during a meeting with traditional rulers and council members, the first lady said many of these health […]
Oluremi Tinubu
Nigeria’s first lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has urged traditional rulers in the South West to support efforts to eliminate Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Hepatitis B, HIV/AIDS, and other pressing health challenges affecting women.
Speaking in Akure, Ondo State, during a meeting with traditional rulers and council members, the first lady said many of these health conditions-such as mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS, syphilis, and tuberculosis-can be eradicated, as projected by the United Nations.
“FGM is an outdated and harmful practice. It’s rooted in myths and does nothing to stop promiscuity. Rather, it destroys the lives of young girls,” she said.
Her visit to Ondo is part of a two-day working tour, during which she flagged off the distribution of professional kits-comprising scrubs and crocs-to nurses and midwives across South West.
Mrs Tinubu also introduced a new campaign titled “Flow With Confidence”, aimed at promoting menstrual hygiene.
The initiative plans to distribute 10,000 sanitary pads to girls in each state, with a focus on rural areas.
She noted that the government’s efforts to boost food production are underway through initiatives like the Young Farmers’ Club and Women’s Gardening Initiative.
These programmes have attracted a N400 billion intervention fund from the Ministry of Agriculture, with each state receiving N68.9 million to support women farmers.
Ondo State governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, commended the first lady’s efforts, saying the initiative would not only improve maternal and child healthcare but also uplift the morale of nurses and midwives.