In its aim to bridge access to healthcare for the people of grassroots and make life worthwhile for them, the Rotary Club of Lagos Golden Hearts Ikeja has over the past three days engaged the Ogudu community in its Annual edition of the Rotary Family Health Days 2024, TheMediaGood Newspaper can report.
The health days, which enjoyed the support of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, held from Tuesday 16th over Thursday 18th April. Polio immunization, malaria screening, screening for cancer, testing for blood pressure and sugar topped the health interventions provided. The beneficiaries were also given routine medications, mosquito nets, and drugs related to illnesses discovered in them while many were referred to the hospital for further healthcare.
The Rotary Family Health Days 2024 drew a great number of beneficiaries ranging from schoolchildren, market women, artisans, youths, and the elderly. The first day had over 200 adults and 53 children while the second day had over 120 adults and 90 children.
Speaking on the health initiative, the President of Rotary Club Lagos Golden Hearts, Ikeja, Rtn. Olugbenga Ofere indicated: ‘we are letting people outside know that Rotary International renders services to humanity – part of which is health which includes polio immunization, malaria screening, HIV testing, all for free for the citizens to better the society. We want the environment to be free from polio.’
‘We are taking care of everyone in the society. We give immunization to children while we look at screening for prostate cancer, cervical cancer, breast cancer for adults. This will last for 3 days so that we can capture a lot of people. On the first day alone, we captured over 150 people.’
We are not sponsored by government because we are classified as NGO but we will urge government to partner just like we have the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation partner on this project’.
On her part, the Vice President of Rotary Club Lagos Golden Hearts Ikeja, Rtn. Kehinde Onabajo said that the program was possible due to collaboration with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. ‘We organized this health outreach in order to reach the people at the grassroots. It is a 3-day program.’
‘I realized that many market women have high blood pressure and it is good that we detect early so that they can use medication to suppress it or they can be referred to the hospital. The tension in Lagos is much. Many women shoulder responsibility for their family so it is actually a good thing that Rotary Club is bringing this initiative to this community.’
‘This is an annual project of Rotary Action Group for Family Health and AIDS Prevention with the Bill & Melida Gates Foundation in Collaboration with Rotary Clubs and Districts in Nigeria, Ministries of Health, Private Sector and NGOs. It is an avenue to reach out to the community’s, she concluded.
The beneficiaries considered the health days as very impactful and helpful for them. A beneficiary, Chioma Ajayi noted: ‘I want to say a very big thank you to Rotary Club for organizing such a wonderful occasion for people to get checked for free. One of the things lacking in Nigeria is healthcare. They gave me mosquito net, routine drugs, malaria medicine, and also drugs for my son.’
One Humphrey who also enjoyed the intervention said, ‘I learned that you will never know anything until you are checked. I realized my BP was high of which I have been thinking I am OK so high blood pressure is a silent killer. I say thank you to Rotary Club for giving us this opportunity. ‘