The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development on Tuesday began the distribution of diapers, food palliatives to communities in the six area councils of the FCT.
The Minister, Pauline Tallen, while flagging off the distribution at the Primary Health Care Centre, Ushafa, Bwari Area Council, said the exercise was aim at encouraging women to promote child care, healthy growth and development of their babies.
Tallen said that the gesture was with the support from Procter and Gamble to women, children and persons with disabilities.
She said that the diapers and food packs which included rice, noodles, pasta and cooking oil would be distributed to beneficiaries at the Primary Health Care centres across the six area councils.
She urged other organisations and philanthropists to emulate the kind gesture.
“I therefore, want to stress the need for mothers to ensure postnatal care, adequate nutrition and proper feeding of babies. They should adhere to the messages of exclusive breastfeeding from birth.
“They should take more interest in routine immunisation to prevent child killer diseases such as malaria, measles, whopping cough, pneumonia, diarrhea, dysentery and others.
“It is important to register their children at birth to aid adequate planning and mothers must observe basic personal hygiene and sanitation,’’ she added.
On preparation for reopening of schools, the minister advised parents to teach their children the COVID-19 guidelines such as the use of facemask, regular hand washing and observing physical distancing.
The Minister also called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth leaders and associations to collaborate with the government in eradicating gender based violence, particularly rape in the society.
District Head of Ushafa, Alhaji Mohammed Baba-Kwanga, commended the government for the for the support, which he said would reduce the suffering of the masses.
Baba-Kwanga, assured the government of the traditional institution’s support, particularly in checking the menace of rape and other forms of child abuse.
Ifeanyinwa Dickson, a beneficiary, thanked government for the gesture which she said was a big relief to them.
Similarly, Ijeoma Kingsley, another beneficiary reiterated her commitment towards ensuring her baby receives all the routine immunisation, as well adhere to exclusive breastfeeding for the benefit of her child.
The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that the Senior Director for Africa, Procter and Gamble, Temitope Iluyemi, recently donated 250,000 diapers to be distributed to babies in the FCT.