The Mandate Secretary for the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe has described women who spend days and nights in hospital wards caring for sick relatives as “unsung heroes” whose sacrifices often go unnoticed.
Dr. Fasawe, who stated this while on a visit to patients at the Kuje General Hospital as part of activities marking the 2026 International Women’s Day, commended mothers who remain by the bedsides of loved ones receiving treatment, stressing that their dedication provides comfort and hope that medicine alone cannot offer.
Addressing patients and caregivers, Fasawe said the visit was aimed at recognising the courage and resilience of women who leave the comfort of their homes to care for relatives in hospital wards.
She said; “I am delighted to be at Kuje General Hospital today to visit women who are sick, or caring for sick loved ones. On this day, International Women’s Day 2026, we celebrate the theme ‘Giving to Gain’”.
Fasawe also noted that mothers who remain in hospitals to care for their loved ones often sacrifice their own comfort and routines, trading their beds for plastic chairs and hospital corridors.
“These women are the quiet pillars of strength in our hospitals. They trade their warm beds for plastic chairs. They exchange the comfort of their kitchens for hospital corridors. They set aside their routines, their work, and often their own health simply to be present for someone they love,” she said.
The address by Dr. Fasawe highlighted how mothers play multiple roles within hospital wards, often acting as caregivers and emotional support systems despite not being medical professionals.
According to her; “They may not be on the hospital payroll, but they work tirelessly. They may not be trained nurses, but they carefully watch over their loved ones. And though they are not doctors, their presence often becomes the medicine that brings hope and strength”.
The FCTA Mandate Secretary for Health also said that mothers caring for patients frequently provide support that goes beyond medical treatment, offering emotional comfort in moments of vulnerability.
“In moments of illness and vulnerability, a mother’s presence provides something medicine alone cannot give love, comfort and hope.
“To every mother who has slept on a hospital bench, skipped meals to stay by a bedside, and carried hope when others felt weary, you are heroes. Not famous heroes, but the kind whose love heals in ways science cannot measure,” Fasawe enthused.
International Women’s Day is observed annually on March 8 to celebrate the achievements and contributions of women across the world while advocating for gender equality and women’s empowerment.
