Rotary donates Family Planning commodities to Delta
Rotary International has donated Family Planning (FP) commodities and 20
cartons of laboratory equipment to the Delta Government.
The Voice Media Trust (VMT NEWS) reports that the equipment and commodities were received by the
Commissioner for Health, Dr Mordi Ononye, at a ceremony on Friday in Asaba.
In his remark during the presentation, Mr Emmanuel Lufadeju, the National Coordinator of Rotary Action
Group for Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health (RMCH), said the group had been implementing maternal
and child health projects since 1994.
Represented by Omozuwa Christiana, Rotary’s Representative for Family Planning in Delta, Lufadeju said that the organisation
had been in the forefront of the campaign toward improving maternal and child health in the country.
He said “rotary’s maternal and child health projects stands on four major pillars, which include: public awareness campaign through community dialogue and capacity building through training of medical and paramedical staff.
“Others, he noted, are institutional strengthening through equipment donations to medical facilities, as well as distribution of
contraceptives.”
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He said that the Federal Ministry of Health gave a mandate through collaborative efforts with Rotary International to support maternal and child health projects.
According to him, the areas of support include the reduction of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality through long standing commitment to improve the health of the people.
“This includes Family Planning, capacity building of health workers and maternal and perinatal deaths surveillance and response.
“Others include community dialogue to improve access to quality essential maternal and newborn health services and medicines,” he said.
The national coordinator further disclosed that the media campaign for RMCH and Family Planning was launched on July 1, 2021.
He noted that Rotary had trained 60 journalists from the print, radio, television and social media on effective reporting of maternal and child health issues.
On the items donated, Lufadeju disclosed that the equipment were worth N20 million, given to 10 facilities in each of the 36 states and
the Federal Capital Territory.
He said “let me say very clearly that these laboratory equipment and contraceptives are not for sale. They are to be given free of charge to beneficiaries in need of them.”
Responding, the commissioner thanked the group for the gesture, saying the donation would go a long way in supporting the government’s efforts toward securing maternal and child health.
Ononye, who was represented by Dr Jude Winful-Orieke, the Permanent Secretary, Delta State Primary Health Development Agency (DSPHDA), said the state government was committed to the protection and improvement of maternal and child health.
He said “we are very much aware of the challenges and importance of family planning.
“We are serious when it comes to issues of family planning because it is one of the effective ways of reducing maternal mortality. We want every pregnancy to be successful.
Highlight of the event was the presentation of the family planning items to health officers from 10 selected local government areas.
The laboratory equipment include: Bivalve Speculum, Tenaculum, Uterine Sound, and Forceps, Scissors and Galli pot and 10 cartons of contraceptive commodities.
In a vote of thanks, one of the beneficiaries, Mrs Mercy Chukwu, a Medical Officer in charge of the Primary Health Care Centre, Ebedei-Uno, in Ukwuani Local Government Area, thanked Rotary International for the donation.
Chukwu assured the group that the items would be judiciously used for the purpose they were given.
