Remi Tinubu Flags Off 215,000 Mama Kits To Boost Maternal, Newborn Care

The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has flagged off the distribution of 215,000 Mama Kits and bags, 40,000 maternal food support packs and 40,000 sets of essential newborn clothing to encourage pregnant women to access maternal and newborn healthcare services.

The First Lady flagged off the distribution in Abuja under the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII), describing the intervention as another step towards ensuring that every Nigerian child has a healthy start in life and that no woman loses her life while giving birth

The 215,000 Mama Kits constitute the second batch of the kits to be distributed under the initiative, following the initial distribution of 110,000 kits in 2025.

The First Lady said the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare plans to extend the distribution of maternal food support packs and essential newborn clothing to additional local government areas identified as having low uptake of MAMII incentives.

She said the practical support would encourage less privileged pregnant women to attend antenatal clinics, prepare adequately for delivery and continue receiving essential care after childbirth.

“The incentive package being launched today includes a second batch of 215,000 Mama Kits and bags, following the initial distribution of 110,000 kits in 2025, as well as 40,000 maternal food support packs and 40,000 sets of essential newborn clothing,” she said.

Mrs Tinubu said the maternal food support recognised the importance of the health and nutrition of mothers to healthy pregnancies, safe deliveries and healthy newborns.

She added that the provision of newborn clothing represented the administration’s commitment to welcoming every Nigerian child with dignity, warmth and care.

The First Lady noted that although pregnancy and childbirth should be moments of hope and joy, social, economic, cultural and logistical barriers continued to prevent some women from accessing quality maternal healthcare.

She therefore urged state and local governments, traditional and religious leaders, development partners, philanthropists and other stakeholders to support the intervention by ensuring that the incentives reached women in vulnerable and underserved communities.

Mrs Tinubu said MAMII was a national intervention designed to reduce preventable maternal and newborn deaths through improved awareness, emergency care and referral systems, while making safe childbirth and newborn survival the standard for Nigerian families.

She commended the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, and his team for their commitment to improving maternal and child healthcare in the country.

The First Lady also called for sustained partnership among stakeholders to ensure that the interventions translated into increased utilisation of maternal and newborn health services.

In his remarks, Pate said the incentives were intended to stimulate pregnant women to participate in antenatal care and skilled birth attendance as part of efforts to reduce maternal mortality.

He disclosed that more than 60,000 women had received free caesarean sections and other emergency obstetric services through the National Health Insurance Authority in the two years since MAMII was launched.

He added that more than 120,000 frontline health workers had been retrained through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, while almost 4,000 health facilities were being revitalised.

Pate said more than 6,000 women with obstetric fistula had also received corrective treatment and empowerment.

He stressed the importance of maternal nutrition, linking the government’s multiple micronutrient supplementation programme with the First Lady’s Community Food Bank initiative.

The minister urged state governments to sustain and expand the interventions, saying reducing maternal mortality required continued investment and action at the state and local government levels.