Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari on Monday flagged off the 2016 edition of the Maternal New Born and Child Health Week.

Flagging off the event, the President’s wife commended Cross River State governor, Senator Ben Ayade for providing an enabling environment for the maternal new born and child health week to kick off while also lauding Mrs. Linda Ayade for launching her foundation and choosing to be a maternal and child health ambassador for the state.

In her words: “I will like to commend the Governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade for providing a conducive environment for the official flag off of Maternal and Child Health week and also congratulate his beautiful wife, Dr. Lynda Ayade for initiating the Mediatrix Foundation. I wish her success in her new role as maternal and child health Ambassador in Cross River State.”

Mrs. Buhari who was accompanied by wives of the governors of Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Oyo as well as former Deputy Governor of Plateau State, Mrs Pauline Tallen, among others, maintained that Nigeria was one of the countries with the highest rate of maternal and infant mortality, hence the need to take extra-ordinary actions to reduce the trend.

Continuing, she said: “The Federal Government is desirous of bringing this quality health care services closer to the people at the grassroots which is the primary reason for the establishment of one primary healthcare center in each political ward across the country,” assuring that she was committed to continuing advocacy for favorable response aimed at accelerating the reduction of maternal new born and child mortality.