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By Purity Francis
The Rotary Club of Falomo and Leadway Assurance have invested N25 million in renovating and equipping the paediatric surgical ward of General Hospital, Odan, Lagos Island, in a move to improve healthcare for children.
The intervention at the 133-year-old hospital included the renovation of the ward and the provision of critical medical equipment, including an incubator, resuscitaire, Ambu bags, sphygmomanometers, stethoscopes, air conditioners, mosquito nets and beds for mothers accompanying their children.
The project, commissioned under the theme, “Together for Healthier Children,” was completed in six weeks following an assessment of the hospital’s needs.
President of the Rotary Club of Falomo, Paul Ofienbor, said the intervention reflected the club’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery, particularly maternal and child health and disease prevention.
He said the N25 million project was funded largely by Leadway Assurance, alongside contributions from club members and support from friends of the club.
“We renovated the paediatric ward and bought equipment. It is a continuous project, and the incoming president will continue from where we stopped,” Ofienbor said.
He added that the club would monitor the donated equipment to ensure it was properly maintained and effectively used for patients.
Medical Director of General Hospital, Lagos Island, Dr Olatunde Bakare, described the intervention as a significant improvement to the hospital’s paediatric surgical ward, noting that the project would have a lasting impact on healthcare delivery.
Bakare said the hospital management constituted a committee to work with Rotary after the club expressed its intention to renovate the facility.
He appealed to other corporate organisations and well-meaning Nigerians to support public healthcare institutions, stressing that government alone could not meet the sector’s needs.
“No one government can do it alone,” he said, recalling that the hospital was established in 1893 and had served Lagos residents for 133 years.
District Governor of Rotary District 9112, Layi Abidoye, commended the club for directing its resources towards children’s healthcare, describing the investment as a contribution to the country’s future.
He said the renovated ward had created a more conducive environment for children receiving treatment and their caregivers, expressing hope that the club would undertake further interventions at the hospital.
Representing Leadway Assurance Managing Director, Gboyega Lesi, the company’s Head of Corporate Services, Niyi Abiola, said the partnership demonstrated the value of collaboration between private organisations and service institutions in addressing critical social needs.
He said health and well-being remained key pillars of Leadway’s corporate social responsibility programme, adding that the company would continue to support initiatives aimed at improving lives.
Project Chairman, Tokunbo Adefuye, said the club conducted a needs assessment before embarking on the renovation and was able to address 99 per cent of the identified requirements.
He identified the relocation of children from the ward during the six-week construction period as one of the major challenges encountered.
Adefuye added that the club provided additional items as work progressed and further needs were identified.
