Nsit Atai Partners GIFA, Ibom Open Maternity Project To Mark World Breastfeeding Week
Nsit Atai Local Government Area, in partnership with the Ibom Open Maternity (IOM) Project and the Patience Umo Eno Golden Initiative For All (GIFA), has commemorated the 2026 World Breastfeeding Week with a maternal healthcare outreach at the Primary Health Centre, Odot.
The programme held during the week brought together pregnant women, nursing mothers, healthcare professionals and other stakeholders to promote exclusive breastfeeding, safe motherhood and improved maternal and child healthcare.
Held under the theme, “Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works,” the outreach featured health education on exclusive breastfeeding, maternal nutrition, antenatal and postnatal care, family planning, child spacing, birth registration, malaria prevention, personal hygiene, environmental sanitation, enrolment in the Akwa Ibom State Health Insurance Scheme, and the importance of delivering babies in health facilities under the care of skilled birth attendants.
The Executive Chairman of Nsit Atai Local Government Area, Hon. Prince Anthony Nyong, who attended the programme alongside his wife, Mrs Emem Anthony Nyong, commended the Akwa Ibom State Government, the Office of the First Lady and GIFA for taking maternal and child healthcare services closer to the people.
He described breastfeeding as one of the simplest and most effective ways to give every child a healthy start in life and encouraged mothers to practise exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months while making regular use of available healthcare services.
Speaking at the event, Mrs Emem Anthony Nyong, wife of the Executive Chairman, urged pregnant women and nursing mothers to apply the knowledge gained during the programme by embracing exclusive breastfeeding, maintaining proper nutrition and observing good hygiene for the wellbeing of both mother and child.
Also speaking, the Vice Chairman of Nsit Atai Local Government Area lauded the Office of the First Lady, GIFA and other partners for the outreach, noting that such initiatives complement government’s efforts to improve maternal and child health at the grassroots.
Representing the Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady and Chairman of GIFA, the GIFA representative conveyed the goodwill of the First Lady Designate, Mrs Helen Obareki, and encouraged mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies for the first six months while taking advantage of available healthcare services.
Healthcare professionals also delivered practical sessions on breastfeeding techniques, infant nutrition and disease prevention, while participants received medical consultations, counselling and other support services.
The outreach ended with the presentation of GIFA-branded mother-and-child care packs and other gift items to pregnant women and nursing mothers to support safe motherhood and encourage healthy child development.
Present at the event were the Executive Chairman of Nsit Atai Local Government Area, Hon. Prince Anthony Nyong; his wife, Mrs. Emem Anthony Nyong; the Vice Chairman of the Council; the GIFA representative from the Office of the First Lady; health supervisors; healthcare professionals; wives of traditional rulers; traditional rulers; traditional birth attendants (TBAs); chapter women leaders; women groups; pregnant women; nursing mothers; and other stakeholders.
