Delta’s ‘First Cry’ Of 2026 Welcomed With Gifts & Medical Relief
By PAULINA NZERUBE
THE First Lady of Delta State, Deaconess Tobore Oborevwori, has begun 2026 with a high-impact humanitarian outreach, celebrating the state’s first baby of the year and clearing unpaid maternity bills for indigent mothers at the General Hospital, Ughelli. The visit was coordinated through her You Matter Charity Foundation, a platform that has become central to her maternal welfare interventions across the state.
Delta’s first newborn of 2026, Baby Anderson, was delivered at exactly 12:06am on Thursday 1 January 2026, to Mr. and Mrs. Anderson and Jite Umukoro. Although an earlier statement had referenced 2025, hospital delivery records confirmed the birth occurred minutes into 2026. The Umukoro family received a ceremonial hamper containing baby essentials, a cash gift, and a bag of rice, symbolising both celebration and household support.
The outreach extended to other mothers who delivered during the festive season. Beneficiaries received cash support, baby care items, and bags of rice, while newborns were presented with starter packs for early childcare. The First Lady also approved the payment of outstanding medical bills for mothers unable to afford their hospital fees, a move that brought emotional relief to families who had feared delayed discharge or mounting debt.
During interactions with patients and health workers, Deaconess Oborevwori urged greater empathy, professionalism, and unity within public health facilities, emphasising that quality healthcare must also be humane. She reiterated that maternal and newborn health remains a policy priority of the Governor Sheriff Oborevwori administration under the MORE Agenda.
Hospital management described the intervention as a morale booster for both patients and staff, noting that such support reinforces public trust in state health institutions. The outreach, coming hours into the New Year, has been widely interpreted as a symbolic reset—one anchored on welfare, relief, and inclusion.
