By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
With Rotary International’s core area on disease prevention and providing access to clean drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene, to prevent the spread of disease and improve health, the District Governor, district 9112 Nigeria, Rtn. Femi Adenekan and the president of the Rotary Club of Anthony Golden led other members recently to commission a water borehole project at Oworoshoki Community in Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State.
The DG stated that in Rotary they believe good health care is everyone’s right. Though 400 million people in the world can’t afford or don’t have access to basic health care. Disease results in misery, pain, and poverty for millions of people worldwide.
“That’s why treating and preventing disease is so important to us. We lead efforts both large and small. We set up temporary clinics, blood donation centers, and training facilities in underserved communities struggling with outbreaks and health care access. We design and build infrastructure that allows doctors, patients, and governments to work together.
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.
Adenekan added that Rotary educates and equip communities to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases. Rotary members have hundreds of health projects underway around the world at any given time.
“Rotary Club are community leaders, friends and professionals united under the umbrella of service and that they come together to inspire people, take action and bring about lasting change. He equally revealed that the clubs are more than 1.2 million people with passion and integrity, completing projects that make lasting impact in our communities.
Adenekan, who commissioned the project during his official visit to the Club, said that the lack of drinking water and inadequate sanitary conditions often aggravated by overcrowding can generate considerable risks to health and for the survival of those persons. Working among those most prone to disease caused by unsafe drinking water and an unsanitary environment, the club helps to fight water-related diseases that kill over 2.6 million people every year.
“To prevent epidemics, it is also essential to identify high-risk hygiene practices and to teach people how to change them, by scheduling messages and communication methods that are appropriate for the local culture and the emergency situation concerned.
“The district governor, whose obligation included visits to all Rotary clubs under his jurisdiction across the state, said the visit was to uplift the goodwill spirit among the club members.”
Meanwhile, the DG said his administration will ensure the district continues to do more in Rotary foundation.
His words: “We just want to make sure our district continues to do more than it has done in years past. I am here to support the club in those areas they are facing challenges, and also to encourage them in those areas they are doing excellently and equally prepare them for the coming year and to make sure next year will be better from this year. My visit is equally geared towards promoting stability, accountability and targeted vision among the club members.”
He commended the club for the ongoing good works under the present administration.
President of the club, Chidi Ogu, said they deserve to assist with water facility and it was under this venture of service that they identified Oworoshoki Community in dire need of drinking water, these made us to expand our budget that brought about the drilling of borehole with submersible pump, construction of about 15ft tank stand with its septic tank, reticulation of water within the community.
Ogu further revealed some of the projects his club is working on, including an ongoing membership recruitment drive. He was delighted with the DG’s visit, “I am happy the district governor visited, I am happy with his observations and corrections and we thank God that the event turned out very well.”