By Sunday Ani
In furthrance of the partnership programme between the Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State and the Rotary Club of Lagos, Festac Cosmopolitan, the club, yesterday, donated birth kits to some expectant mothers at the council secretariat in Festac Town.
At the event, the council chairman, Valentine Buraimoh, who received the items, described the humanitarian gesture as life-saving, even as he added that it would go a long to solve health challenges in the area.
The council boss thanked the club for the donation and enjoined other associations of the same calibre to emulate the gesture.
President of the club, Uzoamaka Akaneme, said Rotary Club decided to make the donation, particularly to women due for childbirth, because most of them were low-income earners who might not be able to afford some of the birth kits.
“This is also to celebrate maternal and child health, which is celebrated by Rotary Club in this month of April,” she added.
At least 25 pregnant women who were at the health centre for their antenatal care received the kits. The health centre received two fetal Doppler machines used to check the heartbeat of a foetus.
Akaneme noted that items such as cotton wool, delivery blade, pads and other materials were contained in the branded bag, which she said would also be useful to the women as nursing mothers.
She noted that she was happy and fulfilled each time the club under her leadership carried out such a humanitarian service.
“I feel good and fulfilled because these are the things that one feels should ordinarily be done individually but, sometimes, it becomes hard for an individual. But, when we come together as a club and pool resources, it becomes easy.
“However, Rotary is known for doing good to the society. I am happy as a person that we keep on doing projects and things that impact people and our community in a positive manner,” she said.
In his speech, the project director and past assistant governor, IK Ugwu, said the project would bring about reduction in maternal and child mortality, enhance safe and hygienic childbirth, as well as alleviate poverty in the area. He said the donation, which was to mark the Rotary celebration of maternal and child health, was equally a practical demonstration of the club’s commitment to assist the primary health centre to continue to provide quality care and service.
He promised that it would be a continuous project: “So, we will be praying for the mothers for safe delivery. We want the unborn child to know that, even before he/she was born, there were people who were already caring and those people are the members of the Rotary Club of Lagos, Festac Cosmopolitan.”