The Coca Cola company and its partner, Medshare, in collaboration with Federal Government, on Friday donated equipment worth N3 billion to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano under the Safe Birth Initiative (SBI).
The equipment and supplies were formally unveiled and handed over at a special event held at the Hospital in Kano.
At the handover ceremony, the Managing Director of Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, Alfred Olajide, said the initiative was aimed at improving maternal outcomes and reducing child mortality incidents.
“The Safe Birth Initiative is a part of the company’s wellbeing Programme, to support the efforts of the government in reducing the alarming numbers of women and newborns who die from birth-related issues,” he explained.
Olajide restated Coca Cola’s commitment to upholding the health and well-being of women as pillars of the society.
Nwamaka Onyemelukwe, Director Public Affairs and Sustainability, said that through the SBI, the company wanted to support the untiring efforts of hard-working doctors, midwives and nurses.
She said the health workers battled against great odds in public hospitals to manage life-threatening complications affecting mothers and the newborn.
”The issue of maternal mortality is very important to us. Globally, Coca-Cola has a commitment to women whom we consider pillars of the society and also pillars of our business in Africa, where they have always played a dominant role in our vast distribution and retail network,” she said.
She said the equipment donated included anaesthetic machines, baby Incubators, ICU beds, Ultrasound and Auto Clev, among others.
Onyemelukwe added that company, with it’s partner had trained over 20,000 women and youths across the state on series of transformative skills and knowledge programmes.
The company also presented certificates to biomedical engineers trained by the company in collaboration with Medshare International USA.
Prof. Auwal Gajida, the Chairman Medical Advisory Council of the hospital, who pledged judicious use of the items, commended the company for the gesture.
He said that the gesture would go a long way in improving maternal outcomes and reducing child mortality incidents.
“I commend and thank the management of Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited for these very wonderful initiative aimed at strengthening our capacity to address the issue of maternal and newborn mortality in Nigeria.
“We are here today, receiving loads of medical equipment worth $720,000,” Gajida added.
Alhaji Ado Kurawa, District Head of Tarauni who represented the Emir of Kano, commended the companies for their efforts in reducing child mortality incidents.
He urged other companies and corporate organizations to emulate coca-cola.(NAN)