Dr Patti Hill, Worldwide President of Lions Club International visit to Nigeria
By Yusuf Yunus
A non-governmental organisation, the Lions Club International, has commissioned some health facilities at Federal Medical Center, Yaba, Lagos.
The club also donated some equipment to the hospital for the use of community members and improvement of the health status of the people.
Dr Patti Hill, the President of Lions Club International, in an interview at the ceremony on Wednesday in Lagos applauded the club for impacting massively on community development.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the project, alongside others at different locations in Lagos was commissioned by Hill.
The Lions Club Worldwide President and her spouse Greg Holmes, were welcomed with cultural display of the Nigerian culture.
Showing appreciation, she commended the Lagos State government for the well-kept venue of the event.
She expressed optimism that the projects, including the childhood cancer caregivers center would provide relief for families for their children’s treatment for childhood cancer.
“Well, when I visit Lions here in Nigeria, I expect them to show me their projects for vision for the environment, diabetes awareness, and of course, we do a lot of work around the on-going issue of food insecurity and hunger.
“But what’s really exciting here in Nigeria is that the Lions Clubs and our youth movement, the Leo Clubs, are growing and expanding.
“We are so excited that your people are keen to be volunteers within the Lions movement,” she said.
The visitor is expected to pay a courtesy call on the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu to acquaint him about the activities of the Club and solicit for cooperation.
Mr Samson Abodunrin, the District Governor of 404B4 Nigeria, revealed the level of outreach, and humanitarian service that had been executed by the organisation.
“Currently, not far away from Ikeja, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, we have a Diagnostic Center that we built, equipped with modern equipment to screen, and test people with diabetes.
“We also have the Eye Center that we built, which she visited.
“By the special grace of God, and on Monday, she (Dr Hill) was able to commission an ultra-modern Caregivers home that we built in Federal Medical Center.
“This Caregivers Home facility was built for people who have cancer, especially children with cancer.
According to him, the organisation has donated N2.
5 million to the Paediatric Cancer Department at Ebute-metta Federal Medical Centre, and has buil facility with more than 40 rooms, ensuite, with modern beds and facilities to help treat children with cancer.
“We are putting smiles on the faces of the less privileged, and the blind as well, which is why we are popularly referred to as knights of the Blind.
“We have them in mind, and on our daily activities.
We remember the children that are going to school without shoes, without books, without desks, and without uniforms.
This is what we are doing.
“We have decided, and we have started the program.
We are feeding 9,000 people in public schools.
“Children who could not eat from home, we are providing food for them in the 10 regions in my district.
And we are also providing 6,000 households with food items.
“No doubt, we are close to Christmas.
Some have nothing to eat.
We have started that program and we are distributing food items.
Rice, spaghetti, macaroni, semovita etc… This is what we are reaching out to the less privileged with.
” he added.
Edited by Olawunmi Ashafa
World News