The wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has welcomed the First Babies of 2026 in public hospitals, reaffirming the state’s priority on maternal and child health.
The visits took place yesterday at Ibeju-Lekki, Imota and Gbagada General Hospitals, where three newborns were celebrated as Lagos’ symbolic first babies of the year.
The babies, Baby Oluwadare, Baby Adegeye-Abiodun and Baby Daramola, were celebrated amid cheers, prayers and gifts from Sanwo-Olu and the Deputy Governor’s wife, Mrs Oluremi Hamzat. At Ibeju-Lekki General Hospital, Baby Oluwadare, a male weighing 2.9kg, was born at 12a.m., becoming the state’s symbolic first baby of 2026.
Baby Daramola, a girl weighing 3.45kg, was born at 12.00 a.m. at Gbagada General Hospital. Baby Adegeye-Abiodun, a boy weighing 3.45kg, was delivered at 2.45 a.m. at Imota General Hospital. Sanwo-Olu described a new year and new life as “a powerful reminder of renewed hope and shared responsibility,” reflecting society’s aspirations for progress and continuity.
“The New Year is always a season of renewed hope, and these same emotions surround the birth of a new child,” she said. She noted that healthy births result from conscious choices, access to skilled care and deliberate investments in healthcare systems that protect mothers and babies.
Sanwo-Olu highlighted sustained health interventions, including establishing the Lagos State University of Medicine and Health Sciences and intensified tuberculosis advocacy through female champions. She also cited statewide observance of initiatives such as Breastfeeding Week and Maternal and Child Health Week.
Commending health workers, she said their dedication to quality service delivery has improved patient satisfaction and outcomes for mothers and children.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr Kemi Ogunyemi, described the ceremony as symbolic, underscoring healthcare as government’s first focus each year. Ogunyemi said Lagos has expanded access to affordable care through the Lagos State Health Scheme, infrastructural upgrades and expanded post-natal wards to reduce mortality.
