By Suleiman Shehu
Rotary Club and other partners have donated surgical equipment and other medical items to Apata General Hospital in Ibadan.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the donors include Rotary Club of Mende Midtown, Rotary Club of Ibadan Ring Road, Rotary Club of Ibadan City Central, Rotary Club of Ibadan Pathfinder, Idagba Empowerment Foundation and Mutayo Support Initiative.
Other items donated by the group include delivery couch, wheelchair, treated mosquito nets and also repair of windows in the hospital wards.
In his remarks, the Rotary District Governor, Mr Olaniyi Okin, said that Rotary as a structured organisation has seven areas of focus in which maternal and child health was one of its key priorities.
Okin, represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr Adeniyi Adeoti, said many public institutions in Nigeria are underfunded and stretched due to inadequate government attention.
According to him, government alone cannot provide the infrastructure needs of public institutions and support from private organisations and other well-meaning Nigerians would go a long way in addressing those challenges.
He said that a critical look at the condition of Apata General Hospital showed that one-off assistance could not bring lasting solutions to the needs of the hospital.
Okin assured the management of the hospital that Rotary Club would not relent in supporting the hospital and would do all within its capacity in addressing some of the hospital’s challenges.
The district governor said that Rotary Club Nigeria has mandated its clubs across the country to undertake projects within its areas of focus, particularly those that promote the safety, health, and well-being of pregnant women and their unborn children.
“If you look around, you will discover that many of our public institutions are either underfunded or stretched by the numerous responsibilities that governments have to address.
“This makes support in critical sectors such as healthcare extremely important for human development,” he said.
According to Okin, the medical equipment donated to the hospital would go a long way in providing better service delivery to patients in the hospital.
Also speaking, Founder of Idagba Empowerment Foundation, Mr Oluwatosin Ogunsile, said a previous visit to Apata General Hospital by some Rotarians had shown that the hospital was in need of support.
Ogunsile called on private individuals and organisations to come together and contribute their quota to the rehabilitation of the hospital and other public infrastructure in Nigeria.
“We all have a responsibility to support and complement the efforts of the government.
“I often remind people that many of the universities and hospitals admired abroad were built and sustained through the generosity of private individuals and organisations.
“We must all come together to support the government and contribute our quota towards building a better society,” Ogunsile said.
In his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Mutayo Support Initiative, Mr Michael Ayoade, said that Rotary Club and its partners would not relent in supporting the hospital.
“With the intervention of Rotary International and other charitable organisations, significant improvements can be made.
“From the condition of the building to the availability of clinical equipment, substantial investment and support are required.
“Even the surrounding environment makes it difficult to believe that the facility is still in operation.
“It was shocking to see the state of the clinical equipment, the outdated hospital beds, and the condition of some of the rooms.
“By the grace of God, this will be a continuous effort, and we remain committed to contributing to the development of this hospital,” he said.
In her appreciation, the hospital’s Medical Director, Dr Sakirat Olayinka, commended the donors for their intervention, saying “it will go a long way in providing better services to patients”. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Bayo Sekoni