MTN Foundation, through its Yellow Heart Initiative, continues its partnership with state governments in the fight to reduce maternal and infant mortality in the country. In this vein, the Cross River state government played host to the initiative, hosting the Yellow Heart health forum aimed at sensitizing mothers and the general public about the issues facing maternal healthcare, and the various policies implemented in the state to reduce maternal and child mortality.
Expressing appreciation to MTN Foundation at the health forum, Wife of the Governor of Cross River State, Dr Linda Ayade commended the MTN Foundation for the Yellow Heart initiative and other impactful projects commissioned by the Foundation in the state. “The MTN Foundation deserves to be hugely commended for initiating several interventions in the state particularly in the area of health. The donation of the Y’ello Doctor mobile clinic, the donation of a hemodialysis center and the renovation of the post-natal ward at the general hospital are among the several impactful initiatives of the MTN Foundation in the state and we are sincerely grateful”.
Speaking on MTN Foundation’s decision to support the Cross River State Government on this initiative, Director, MTN Foundation, Mr Dennis Okoro said that the Foundation is sensitive to the plights of members of the community where it operates “we are very sensitive to challenges within our society, It is against this backdrop that the Foundation created a mandate to spend towards improving the state of healthcare, education and economic empowerment” He said.
Activities in Calabar culminated in a Walk for Life on Saturday, kicked off by the wife of the Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Mrs Omotunde Esu. She called for mothers and pregnant women to visit hospitals and take advantage of the free healthcare services for mothers, provided by the state government.
MTN Foundation has partnered with the Ministry of Health on multiple projects related to this cause including the Maternal Ward Support project which has facilitated the renovation of 24 maternal wards across the country, the ‘Y’ello Doctor’ project which deployed 6 mobile clinics supporting the medical needs of mothers and children commissioned in six states. Apart from Cross River, 5 other states; Ogun, Oyo, Kaduna, Niger and Abia have been selected for the first leg of the MTN Foundation Yellow Heart initiative.
Here are some pictures of the Cross River health forum and Walk for Life:
