Lukman Olabiyi
The fight against the coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria got a boost recently, as the Lions Club District 404 A1 Nigeria, supported by Lions Club International Foundation (LCIF), distributed key medical equipment to Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
The Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) donated, which include face masks, disposable gowns, face shield, hand gloves and other protective medical equipment that are meant to serve more than 10,000 health workers, worth $10,000 (about N4 million).
The humanitarian service group said the gesture was to ensure that the country’s health workers are equipped to discharge their duties without grave risk to themselves.
Handing over the supplies to the Lagos State centre, at the NCDC office in Yaba, the district governor-elect, Adetokunbo Aromolaran said that the donation was the club’s way of appreciating the NCDC and the medical and health workers who are in the frontline to save lives and contain the spread of the dreaded virus.
He added that the donation would ensure enhanced health care delivery for patients and would further help strengthen the centre’s fight against the virus, as the rest of the world is dealing with the unprecedented pandemic.
According to him, the rise in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has endangered the lives of the health workers who are at the frontline.
“Therefore, we commend the doctors, nurses, pharmacists and all the healthcare workers who have emerged as the real heroes of the times.
“LCIF decided to do something to support the system, especially those in the frontline by supplying them with materials with which they too could protect their lives while they are working hard to save the lives of others.
“This donation to NCDC is part of our support to the Federal Government in the fight against the deadly virus, as well as the club modest assistance to equip the nation’s hospitals, ”Aromolaran said.
The district-governor-elect was accompanied by other senior members of Lions Clubs District 404 A1, including the past international director, Hameed O. B. Lawal, past district governor Alex Irotumeh, past Council chair, Air Vice Marshal Anthony Okpere, District 404 A1 LCIF chairperson, Omotunde Johnson and others. He said the Lions Clubs International has already disbursed over US$3.5 million in global grants to fight the pandemic around the world.
Lawal, in his remarks, said the LCIF was the support arm of Lions Clubs International, responsible for funding the humanitarian causes of the organisation’s supports and the foundation graciously supported the donation in order to contribute its own quota as humanitarian service group.
Receiving the donation on behalf of the Director General of NCDC, the assistant director, Mrs Olajumoke Babatunde, who doubles as head of Lagos Office, appreciated the club for always having humanity at heart and for standing with NCDC and the frontline health workers.
