Follow Us on Google
By Sunday Ani
The Rotary Club of Greenfield, Okota, Isolo area of Lagos State, has donated various items, ranging from diapers to wipes, baby cream and mosquito nets to nursing mothers and their babies at the Apena Primary Health Centre, Okota.
The Club also donated baby scale machines and Blood Pressure (BP) machines to the health centre.
Speaking at the presentation of the items to the health centre, the President of the Club, Bonny Ogirri, said the items were to help mothers who cannot afford them or those who would struggle to afford them.
He specifically reminded the nurse in charge of the Centre to remember that all hands are not equal in her sharing formula. In other words, those who may not be able to afford the items or those who would struggle to afford them should be considered first before those who can afford them.
“Matron, you know that all hands are not equal, so in your sharing, you know those that need these things more. Identify mothers who need these things more. It is not as if there is any mother who doesn’t need them but some mothers can afford the items without any difficulty. There are those who can’t afford them or who will struggle to get them, identify such mothers and give priority attention to them.
“We didn’t just come to reach out to mother and child alone. We also know that this Centre needs equipment to make its work easier, so we have brought a baby weighing machine and a BP machine for the Health Centre,” he said.
Other News
He assured the nurses that the Club would do more for the health centre, having adopted it right from the Club’s inception some three years ago.
Also, the immediate past president of the club, Chief Nnanna Achiugo, urged other organisations to emulate Rotary and give a helping hand to those in need. “We are encouraging other organisations to help the needy in our society. It is part of our project to give back to society, particularly those in our environment. That’s why every year, we come here to know how the mothers and their babies are doing and show them the Rotary hospitality,” he said.
In her response, the Nursing Officer in Charge of the Health Centre, Awodeyi Olubukola Sade, expressed happiness over the gesture, saying, “On behalf of the Apena Primary Health Centre, we really appreciate members of the Rotary Club of Greenfield. God will continue to bless you and enrich your pockets. But, like Oliver Twist, we need more. We will be expecting you next year.”
However, the Project chairman for the Rotary year, Akosa Chibuzor said what the Club was doing was simply projecting the Rotary image which is service to humanity.
She noted that the visit to the health centre was also to appreciate and encourage mothers and their babies and to let them know that despite the economic situation, they should not lose hope. “Although it is the work of the government to do what we have come here to do today, we are not waiting for the government to do them. We see this centre as our own. Those who can’t afford these items, we give them.
“This year, we donated a BP machine and a baby scale machine to the centre. The BP machine will assist in evaluating the women’s blood pressure both during pregnancy and after child birth. The baby scale machine will also help the Centre to weigh the babies when they come for immunisation and other visits. This is just to ensure that mothers and their babies are safe at all times. Then, we have pampers, wipes, Vaseline and mosquito nets for the mothers and their babies,” she stated.
