The Rotary Club of Abuja Asokoro Diamond, in collaboration with Silver Cross Hospital, Abuja has organised a free polio awareness and vaccination exercise to children in Jiwa community in the Federal Capital Territory.
Mrs Shola Adeleke, President, Rotary Club of Abuja Asokoro Diamond, said there has been significant progress in the eradication of polio in Africa and as such it was important to completely kick it out of the continent.
“Timely and effective interventions will halt polio virus circulation and enable us reach the global goal of polio eradication.
“It is important for Nigeria and other countries of the African region to prioritize delivering vaccination campaigns and carrying out routine immunization.
“This is a critical step towards our region’s path to polio eradication,” she said.
Also speaking, Dr Patrick Ezie, Chief Medical Director, Silver Cross Hospital Abuja, said continuous sensitisation on the need to eradicate polio from the country could not be over emphasized.
He said that concerted efforts from the government and citizens must be put in place to stop the transmission of all types of poliomyelitis.
In a related development, the Silver Cross Hospital Abuja, in collaboration with Angel of Hope Foundation and the Ambe Foundation, has organised a free medical outreach in Kubwa, a suburb in the Federal Capital Territory.
The outreach which featured free malaria testing, HIV/AIDS screening, Eye screening, free drugs, among others, had over 200 children, women and men as beneficiaries
Ms Leslie Ambe, Founder, Ambe Foundation, said the event was organised to reach the less privileged and vulnerable groups in the community.
She said that it was important to support the less privileged in conducting regular health checks on themselves, even as they face the harsh economic downturn.
Mr Umar Mohammed, Founder, Angel of Hope Foundation, added that the foundation decided to collaborate with other organizations to bring succor to the unreached people in the society.
He added that the foundation would continue to assist the less privileged, even as he called on other good spirited Nigerians to imbibe the culture of giving to vulnerable persons around them.
On his part, Dr Patrick Ezie, Chief Medical Director, Silver Cross Hospital Abuja, said that more outreaches would be conducted in rural communities in the FCT in the coming days.
“We are committed to partnering with other NGOs who have the same vision as ours, which is caring for the less privileged.
“We will ensure that more lives are touched and the rate of unnecessary and avoidable deaths are reduced drastically.
“When people get to know their health status on time, they will know how to manage it and we will be there to assist them in any way,” he added.