Rotary Club, Rotaract, Others Provide Free Maternal, Child Health Medical Outreach In Abuja 

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The Rotary Club of Abuja Federal, District 9127, in collaboration with Rotaract Club of Abuja Federal and Silver Cross Hospitals Foundation, has provided a Maternal and Child Health Medical Outreach for pregnant women and nursing mothers, including  children at the Piwoyi Community, in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Speaking during the outreach on Saturday at the community,Rotarian Ismail Adeleye Ibrahim, President, Rotary Club of Abuja Federal,  said the club has adopted the Piwoyi community over a decade now.

Ibrahim said the Club has conducted a minimum of 3 to 4 outreaches in the community every Rotary year.

According to him, the club has reached over 2,000 beneficiaries in the past 12 years.

“Each outreach serves at least 300 people. Beyond July’s maternal health focus, the club also carries out medical services for the elderly and youth during its December Disease Prevention and Treatment campaigns, he said.

Highlighting infrastructure challenges, Rotarian Ibrahim noted that the Club renovated Piwoyi Primary Health Care Centre and provided equipment, adding that lack of electricity still forces patients to seek basic tests like malaria outside the facility.

He outlined some of the measures the Club is putting in place to overcome these challenges.

“We are exploring options like the provision of generators and solar power.

“But we are calling on government to do the needful. Rotary Club does its best as an association of people with hearts to serve, but those with allocations for our communities must also act,” he said.

The Rotary Club of Abuja Federal reaffirmed its commitment to improving access to healthcare and raising awareness in the  underserved communities.

Speaking ahead of the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy [RYLA] scheduled for August, Ibrahim said over 500 youth participants are expected for vocational and leadership training.

Responding to questions on Rotary’s focus, he noted: “When you take care of women and children, you have taken care of the future.

“But Rotary’s areas of focus also include Vocational Service and Economic & Community Development which benefit men, women, and youth.”

Sharing his personal story, he said his participation in RYLA in 2013 as a Rotaractor at Bayero University, Kano shaped his leadership journey.

“It brought about a change in my reasoning and confidence. Today I’m a Club President and an Area Sales Manager. I even started a laundry business with just a pressing iron.”

He emphasised that while Rotary does not provide direct start-up funding after RYLA, the training instills the mindset to “start from nothing and become something.”

The club urged youth to take advantage of RYLA to acquire vocational and leadership skills for self-reliance.

In an interview with newsmen, Mr. Philip Osung, Community Service Director, Rotary Club of Abuja Federal, explained that as part of activities to mark Rotary’s Maternal and Child Health Month, the Rotary Club organised a free community health outreach in Piwoyi Community.

Osung said the project is focused on providing free health services to pregnant women and nursing mothers, while also extending care to other community members.

According to him, “The outreach is being delivered in collaboration with Silver Cross Hospitals Foundation, the Rotaract Club of Abuja Federal, and the Piwoyi Primary Health Centre(PHC).

“Priority is being given to the 100 pregnant women registered with the PHC, with additional services available to an estimated 400 beneficiaries, including women, children, and men.”

He noted that the project is part of the club’s annual commitment to the community.

“We did this last year, the year before, and we will continue. Health is wealth. By helping people know their status and providing treatment, we are building a healthier, more productive community,” he said.

Also speaking, Pharm. Samuel Attah, President, Rotaract Club of Abuja Federal, explained that the project is focused on supporting pregnant women and improving community health outcomes.

As part of the intervention, he revealed that  the Club has donated 30,000 doses of antenatal medications and provided over 50 pregnant women with 6-month drug supplies to cover their pregnancy period.

He said beneficiaries also received free health checks and medications where needed.

Attah explained Rotaract’s approach through the “Three Ts: Time, Talent, and Treasure”.

He said: “Young people in action use their skills to serve. When we combine time, talent and resources, we become a powerful force for change.”

He assured the beneficiaries of sustainability, adding that  “This project will continue. We will keep coming back to ensure the community’s health improves. Because health is wealth, and a healthy community will flourish.”

In his remarks, Nelson Akotonou, Project Manager, Silver Cross Hospitals Foundation, said the clinical team provided malaria screening, blood sugar testing, hepatitis screening, vaccination, anemia screening, blood pressure checks, and birthing kits free of charge to the beneficiaries.

According to him, the partnership aligns with the Foundation’s goal of reducing Nigeria’s high maternal and infant mortality rates.

“Nigeria has one of the highest maternal and infant mortality ratios in the world. Through outreaches like this, we are working to reduce that number,” he stated.

Akotonou disclosed that since the inception of the Foundation in 2020, it has reached about 300,000 people across Nigeria, with recent outreaches in Plateau, Anambra, and Kogi States.

He added that the Foundation welcomes collaborations: “We are open to partnership. Partnerships like this help bridge the healthcare gap in Nigerian communities.”

One of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Deborah Emmanuel, thanked Rotary Club of Abuja Federal and others for their kind gesture and free services.

According to her, “I received mosquito nets, medications, and refreshments during the outreach.

“I thank them. I appreciate them for their good work.

She also appealed for more support, noting that malaria and typhoid remain major health challenges in the community.

“They have already given us malaria drugs, but we are asking them to bring it back again because of our environment.

“We are dealing with typhoid and malaria. That is what we need,” Deborah added.

She called on other organisations and stakeholders to also support the community with similar healthcare interventions.

The Rotary Club of Abuja Federal’s outreach targeted pregnant women, nursing mothers, and other residents with free health screenings, drugs, and health education.