Rotary club donates medical equipment to Lagos community

To reduce maternal death  and to ensure that pregnant women have access to healthcare before, during and after birth, the Rotary Club of Ojodu, District 9110 has donated medical equipment worth N500,000 to Abiodun Primary Health Centre, Ojodu, Lagos.

The president of the club, Ikpunuekhai Osi-Evans,  disclose this saying  the experience of women during labour and childbirth is essential for their well-being.

“Children, newborns and mothers have a greater chance of surviving today than they did two decades ago. Still, diseases like pneumonia, malaria and diarrhoea, along with pregnancy and birth-related complications, claim the lives of millions of children,” he said.

Ikpunuekhai canvassed quality care for women and newborns in the critical first weeks after birth: “As a nation, we have the opportunity to end preventable deaths among all women, children and adolescents and to greatly improve their health and well-being. Too many women, infants and children in Nigeria still have little or no access to essential, quality health services, education, clean air, water, adequate sanitation and nutrition.”

According to him, over the years, the club has made donations that helped in improving healthcare delivery of Ojodu community and executed many similar projects that enhanced the services provided by the health centre.

Ikpunuekhai said the club was contributing its quota to the healthcare system, pointing out that government alone could not meet all the health needs of the people.

He urged the management of the health centre to make good use of the donated equipment.

Also, the head of Abiodun Health Centre, Mrs. Aishat Ayelara, said promoting maternal education would help to reduce mortality.

She expressed gratitude to the club for their humanitarian gesture.

“The donation is timely, as we will make good use of the equipment. We are also calling on other humanitarian organisations to emulate the club and support the grassroot healthcare delivery system,” she said.

However, she stated that the centre was determined to educate women in the community by raising awareness about preventive measures that could keep the mother and child healthy.

She opined that women with a higher level of education were more likely to seek the right treatment from the right place, which contributes to a significant reduction in maternal mortality.
MTO/Sun