The Rotary Club of Maryland District 9110, Ikeja, on Friday donated a Preterm Ambulance and three Neonatal Incubators to the Ogun Government.
Presenting the items in Abeokuta, its President, Mr Adekunle Adeniyi, said the gesture was borne out of the philanthropic nature of the club.
Adeniyi said that infant mortality remained a major problem in many African communities as “almost two-third of the total neonatal deaths occurs within the first week of life”.
He decried the absence of provision of dedicated transport services for newborns, hence, the need for the gesture.
“At present, transport of preterm newborns in Nigeria, as a whole, is not encouraging; there is no dedicated neonatal transport service provided in our community and in Nigeria.
“Most of the preterm newborns are self-transported in private or public vehicles without any care during transport.
“On arrival at the referral hospital, the problem of prematurity is compounded with hypothermia, hypoglycemia and risk of infections, thereby, making their survival chance lower,” Adeniyi said.
In his remarks, Olufemi Akodu, the Chairman, Project Committee, said the project was conceptualised many years ago, with foundation laid in 2017/2018 Rotary year.
Akodu said that it was implemented and completed during the 2018/2019 Rotary year.
He said that the project, which cost N12 million, was being handed over to “a deserving beneficiary”.
The chairman, however, challenged the state government to do more on a larger scale.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the donation is a global grant project of the Rotary Club of Maryland, Nigeria and Rotary Club EClub One with the support of the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.
Responding, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Babatunde Ipaye, said that Rotary Club has touched many lives with their philanthropic gestures.
Ipaye, who claimed to be a beneficiary, said that health remained a priority in the state, which he said, was a significant mandate.
“We are aware of the enormous life saving that this will do for us, and we promise to put it to judicious use,” he said.
