The Rotary Club of Abuja Capital and the New Era Ambassadors held a life-saving outreach for women and children in the Sauka Community, Lugbe, Abuja on Saturday.
This is to mark Mother and Child Health Month.
President of the Club, Mrs Omoboyewa Enenmoh, said that the outreach focused on uplifting less privileged women who could not afford basic healthcare.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that over 80 pregnant women from the community assembled at the Divine Reign Ultimate Clinic, Sauka.
They received mosquito nets, sanitary pads, tissue paper, soap and detergents, disinfectants, water and financial support to offset maternity bills.
According to Enenmoh, Divine Reign Clinic plays a crucial role in the community.
“The facility provides antenatal care, refers mothers to hospitals when necessary, offers health education and supports vulnerable women.
“Today, we came with basic hygiene items, mosquito nets, sanitary pads, soap, detergents, and we even cleared some outstanding medical bills,” she said.
She said that the initiative aligned with Rotary International’s focus on maternal and child health, and this year’s global theme: “United for Good.”
“We may not have much, but we came with good intentions.
These women are going through a lot, from lack of transport fare to hospitals, to delivering babies without any support. We are here to give hope,” she said.
She also used the opportunity to call on local governments and NGOs to provide sustained support for grassroots clinics like Divine Reign.
“We do not have to wait for the Federal Government to do everything.
“As individuals, organisations and community leaders, we must step up and build Nigeria one step at a time,” she said.
A resident doctor at the hospital, Dr Bunmi Oyeleke, emphasised the importance of maternal health and access to family planning services in improving health outcomes for women and children.
Oyeleke said that family planning empowered women to space and plan their pregnancies, thereby reducing the risk of complications during childbirth, especially among adolescents and women with closely spaced pregnancies.
“When women have access to accurate information and affordable family planning commodities, they are better able to make informed decisions about their reproductive health, which significantly lowers the risk of maternal mortality,” she said.
She further said that preventable maternal deaths robbed families of caregivers, increased the number of orphaned children, and placed additional pressure on already strained health systems.
She called on the government to partner with the clinic in supplying essential family planning commodities and vaccines, especially as there is no approved Primary Healthcare Centre in Sauka Community to serve the growing population.
“Despite our efforts at the clinic, we are overstretched. We need government support to continue providing life-saving services to women and children in this underserved area,” she added. (NAN)
