Association Constructs 200 Bed Capacity Hospital Healthcare For Women, Children

The Naval Officer’s Wives Association (NOWA) on Tuesday commenced construction of the N15 billion 200 bed capacity hospital in Abuja to aid healthcare of women and children.

The Hospital which will be situated in Galadimawa, Abuja, according to the National President of NOWA, Nana Aisha Gambo, is the first of its kind in Nigeria.

She said the project which is the biggest since inception of NOWA is a direct intervention in support of Navy operations.

“Indeed, the uncomfortable state of health of a reasonable population of Nigerian women and children are known to us all of us.”

Quoting UNICEF statistics, she said Nigeria contributes 10 percent of global deaths among pregnant mothers representing a maternal mortality rate of 576 deaths per one hundred thousand live births which is the fourth highest in the world.

 UNICEF also suggests that 250,000 babies die at birth in Nigeria annually, which is the second highest national figure in the world.

“Because we are involved, it is not surprising that we are losing our women and children daily due to inadequate medical care and particularly insufficient mother and child hospitals.

“NOWA members decided to take our destinies and those of our future generations into consideration by coming up with this specialised women and children hospital.

“The hospital with an estimated cost of 15 billion naira will be sited on 2.1 hectares of land here in Galadimawa Abuja and it is expected to commence operations in the second quarter of 2023.”

The wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, represented by the wife of the vice president Dolapo Osinbajo commended NOWA for the initiative.

She said the project when completed would help cater for the health care needs of women and children in Nigeria.

She added that the statistics on health care needs particularly as it relates to women and children has revealed a need for urgent intervention.

“Nigeria grapples with a growing population amid dwindling resources to revamp health care need in Nigeria.

"This project keys into Mr president’s desire to ensure that every Nigerian, especially women and children, benefit in the face of dwindling resources.

“FG will continue to intervene to ensure quality health delivery which it has demonstrated with the revatilisation of primary health center in the country”.

The Minister of FCT Muhammad Musa Bello represented by the Mandate secretary FCT health and human services Abubakar Tafida said the project will provide succour to women and children in the city.