Rotary Clubs, foundations donate medical equipment to Apata General Hospital

Rotary Clubs and partner foundations on Friday donated medical equipment and other essential items to Apata General Hospital, Apata, Ibadan, as part of a joint maternal and child health intervention aimed at improving healthcare services for mothers and newborns.

The collaborative project was financed by Rotary Club Mende Midtown (District 9112), Rotary Club Ibadan Pathfinder, Rotary Club Ibadan City Central, Rotary Club Ibadan Ring Road, Mutayo Support Initiative (MSI), and Idagba Empowerment Foundation.

Items donated included a delivery couch, surgical instruments, a wheelchair, mosquito nets, and the repair of windows in the hospital’s maternity ward.

Speaking at the presentation, Rotarian Adeniyi Adeoti, who represented the District Governor of Rotary International District 9126, Rotarian Olaniyi Amoo Okin, described the intervention as timely and in line with Rotary’s July focus on maternal and child health.

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According to him, Rotary International has seven areas of focus, with maternal and child health being one of its key priorities.

“The donation is very timely and aligns with Rotary’s calendar. It is encouraging to see different clubs coming together to execute a partnership project of this magnitude.

“When clubs collaborate, they are able to undertake bigger and more impactful projects, and that is exactly what we are witnessing today. Many public institutions are underfunded, while government has numerous competing priorities. Health remains critical to human development, which is why Rotary continues to prioritise projects that promote the safety and well-being of pregnant women and their unborn children,” he said.

President of Rotary Club Ibadan Pathfinder, Rotarian Mayowa Shoge, said the intervention followed an assessment visit to the hospital, during which members identified critical gaps in the maternity unit.

“During our assessment visit to Apata General Hospital, we identified critical gaps in the maternity unit and realised that the hospital urgently needed support with essential medical equipment. That informed our decision to mobilise resources and partner with other Rotary clubs and organisations to make this intervention possible.

“This project reflects Rotary’s commitment to improving maternal and child healthcare. We believe that providing these medical equipment and improving the maternity ward will contribute to safer deliveries and better healthcare services for mothers and newborns in the community,” Shoge said.

President of Rotary Club Mende Midtown (District 9112), Rotarian Yinka Abdulkareem, reaffirmed the club’s commitment to sustaining partnerships that would positively impact communities through healthcare and other humanitarian projects.

Co-founder of Mutayo Support Initiative (MSI), Michael Ayoade, expressed delight at partnering with the Rotary clubs, noting that both organisations share the same humanitarian objectives.

Also speaking, the Managing Director of Idagba Empowerment Foundation, Rotarian Oluwatosin Ogunsile, described the donation as the first phase of the group’s support for the hospital.

He said the foundation, alongside other Rotary clubs, plans to return with additional interventions to further support the hospital and its patients.

Chief Medical Director of Apata General Hospital, Dr. Sakirat Lanlege, commended the donors for the timely intervention, noting that the equipment would significantly enhance healthcare delivery in the facility.

She expressed appreciation to the Rotary clubs and their partners for complementing government efforts in improving maternal and child healthcare.