International Women’s Day: Mothers Caring for Sick Loved Ones Are Unsung Heroes – Dr Fasawe

Women who spend long hours in hospital wards caring for sick relatives have been described as unsung heroes whose sacrifices often go unnoticed.

The Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat (HSES), Adedolapo Fasawe, made the remark during a visit to patients at Kuje General Hospital in the Federal Capital Territory to commemorate the 2026 International Women’s Day.

Fasawe commended mothers who remain at the bedside of their loved ones undergoing treatment, noting that their presence provides comfort and hope that medicine alone cannot offer.

Addressing patients and caregivers during the visit, she explained that the outreach was intended to recognise the courage and resilience of women who leave the comfort of their homes to support relatives receiving treatment in hospitals.

“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,’” she said.

Fasawe noted that mothers who stay in hospitals with their loved ones often sacrifice their comfort and daily routines, exchanging 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.

She also highlighted how mothers frequently take on multiple roles within hospital wards, providing both care and emotional support even though they are not medical professionals.

“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,” she added.

According to Fasawe, the support provided by mothers often goes beyond medical care, offering emotional strength during moments of illness and vulnerability.

“In moments of illness and vulnerability, a mother’s presence provides something medicine alone cannot give  love, comfort and hope,” she said.

She praised mothers who endure sleepless nights and personal sacrifices while caring for their loved ones.

“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,” she stated.

International Women’s Day, observed annually on March 8, celebrates the achievements and contributions of women around the world while advocating for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.