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By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
Rotary Club of Lagos West, District 9110 has provided quick first aid response for pupils and staff of 7th Avenue Nursery and Primary School, Festac Town, Amuwo-Odofin Lagos, with the donation of a fully equipped sick bay.
The sick bay donation was supported by members and friends of the club who assisted with facilities and drugs in the sick bay. The facility was commissioned by a Past District Governor, Rotary International, District 9110, Rtn Kola Sodipo, the District Education Secretary alongside the Club President, Omolara Akinsanya on Tuesday April 30, 2024.
Past District Governor in his remarks, described the project as a very important one. “This sick bay will not just serve this school, but also most of the schools within this locality. At times, when the students come to school, they take ill, and when they take ill, the parents may not be close by, it will take some time before you can reach out to the parents to come and pick the child.
Sodipo explained that disease prevention and treatment is part of the core areas of focus as Rotary International. “We have embarked on this project, so we can touch lives. Although we don’t pray for them to fall sick but in case it happens,they have a first aid to prevent the situation from getting worse before going to the hospital.
“Sick bay is something every school should have so that there will be a nurse or a doctor to take care of the child before the parents arrive,” he noted.
Project Chair Person, Kefe Adedibu said they visited the school in 2023 and saw some of their needs which they decided to prioritize.
Adedibu said they renovated the classroom, painted and put burglary windows before bringing in their facilities with the school consent.
On her part, President of the club, Omolara Akinsanya, said, Rotary makes amazing things happen, like
helping to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases around the world like polio, HIV/AIDS, and malaria among others.
“Rotary believes good healthcare is everyone’s right. Our members combat diseases like malaria, HIV/AIDS, alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and polio. Prevention is important, which is why we also focus on health education and bringing people routine hearing, vision, and dental care.”
Past president, Beatrice Egbeogu said the health and vitality of a person, a family and a community can be seriously impaired by what in many cases is a preventable disease.
Egbepgu stated that disease prevention is really a keystone to progress in other areas as well because of the interplay with other areas of focus like water and sanitation and maternal & child health. “As you know, every month is dedicated to one of the major themes of our Rotary lives; donating a sick bay would go a long way to assist the children and save us from unforseen circumstances.”
The Head Teacher of the school, Mrs Elizabeth Edemeko thanked the club immensely for coming to their aid. She revealed that whenever a child falls ill in the school, they will have to rush the child to the nearby health centre,
“With this sick bay in the school now, our children can get quick first aid treatment.”
The club also organized a tree planting initiative as part of it’s effort to make our community and environment to be more healthy, fresh, green and free from environmental hazards. They embarked on the tree planting project at the school premises to the happiness of the pupils and they appreciated it.
