Nelson Utip
The Akwa Ibom State Government has inaugurated the 2026 Ibom Open Maternity (IOM) Project to commemorate this year’s World Breastfeeding Week. This is done with a renewed commitment to improving maternal and child healthcare through integrated medical outreach, breastfeeding advocacy and grassroots sensitisation across 20 Local Government Areas.
The programme began with a road walk through major streets in Uyo on Friday and is the state’s flagship celebration of the 2026 World Breastfeeding Week with the theme “Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works.”
the programme is expected to deliver integrated medical services to more than 12,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, as well as over 20,000 children between August 1 and 14.
The Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady, was represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Inibehe Etukudo who described the roadwalk as the official flag-off of a wider medical intervention that will commence on August 3 in selected Local Government Areas.
According to her, the programme reflects Governor Umo Eno’s commitment to taking quality healthcare to women and children in rural communities while advising the women to enroll in the Akwa Ibom State Health Insurance Scheme for free medical services.
The Commissioner called on stakeholders to mobilize women across the participating Local Government Areas to take advantage of the programme. She further emphasized that no mother should be denied access to quality healthcare because of her location.
“I want the wives of Chairmen, NCWS, MWAN and other NGOs to do sensitisation beginning from now in your different domains. So that these women will be very much aware of what IBOM Open Maternity is coming to do in their Local Government Areas. We want to see a good turnout as we are going to these local governments because this is the time for the mothers and children to enjoy and celebrate.” She said.
The President, Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Akwa Ibom State Chapter, Mary Udo, said the association was proud to partner in the Ibom Open Maternity Project because the benefits of breastfeeding extend beyond the child to the mother, family and society.
She observed that increasing awareness was already producing positive results, citing recent experiences from her paediatric practice where mothers were sustaining breastfeeding for up to two years, in line with global recommendations. She congratulated the various organisations supporting the initiative, saying their collaboration was helping to spread life-saving breastfeeding information to communities across the state.
The South-South Zonal Coordinator of the World Health Organization (WHO), Kolude Olufunmilola in her address at the event called on families, employers and communities to support nursing mothers by creating enabling environments for breastfeeding.
She stated that babies should receive exclusive breastfeeding during their first six months of life and continue breastfeeding alongside complementary feeding for up to two years, describing the practice as essential for healthy growth, emotional bonding and improved child survival.
The Chairperson of the Wives of Local Government Chairmen (WALGON), Akaninyene Udo, told Newsmen that the collaboration between government Ministries, Local Government Councils and development partners would significantly expand access to maternal and child healthcare.
She also disclosed that, beyond breastfeeding advocacy, beneficiaries would receive antenatal care, nutrition counselling, HIV screening, medical assessments and other health services aimed at improving the well-being of mothers and children across participating local government areas. She added that the wives of local government chairmen would work closely with health teams to mobilize women and ensure the success of the outreach programme.
The Akwa Ibom State Chairperson of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Nsikak Okon used the occasion to encourage mothers to embrace exclusive breastfeeding, describing it as one of the most effective ways to protect children from illness and reduce hospital visits.
Similarly, the State President of the National Council of Women’s Societies (NCWS), Idongesit Okoko, said the organisation would continue supporting grassroots sensitisation to ensure more mothers understand the benefits of breastfeeding and access the services provided under the Ibom Open Maternity Project.
Medical missions under the Ibom Open Maternity Project will commence on August 3 and continue across the 20 selected Local Government Areas before the programme concludes with a grand finale at Ibom Hall, Uyo, on August 14.
The initiative is coordinated by the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Health, the Akwa Ibom State Primary Health Care Development Agency (AKSPHCDA), the Ministry of Women Affairs, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and CareLife Character Foundation, with support from development and implementing partners including the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, ECEWS, KNCV Nigeria, Ibom Air, MSI Nigeria, CCCRN, Heartland Alliance, Helen Keller International, Three Beyond Cerebral Palsy Academy, the National Council of Women’s Societies (NCWS), the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), SCIIDaR, ImaBridge Africa, ARDCC, Society for Family Health (SFH) and other partners.
