Lions Club donates diabetes centre to Cross River Hospital

Lions Club International has continued to uphold its pledge to better the lot of humanity with the donation of an ultra-modern Diabetes Screening and Treatment Centre to the General Hospital, Igoli in Ogoja Local Council of Cross River State.

The foundation of the medical facility was laid on September 16, 2021, by former Cross River State Commissioner for Health, now the National Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC)), Dr. Betta Edu. It was completed in record time of nine months and commissioned recently at a ceremony attended by members of the club, government functionaries, traditional rulers, among others.

The facility, which was handed over to the management of the General Hospital, is a major boost to the efforts of both the federal and state governments to improve the health condition of Cross River State residents in particular and Nigerians in general. 

An 885m² edifice built on an 8.3 per cent slope topography, the ultra-modern Diabetes Screening and Treatment Centre will provide affordable healthcare not only to residents of Cross River State, but will also benefit nearby states, such as Enugu, Ebonyi, Benue as well as parts of the neighbouring Central African country of Cameroun.

According to the District Governor, Lions District 404A2 for the 2021-2022 Lion Year, Obonganwan Lynda Odu-Okpeseyi, the project, executed in partnership the Ogoja General Hospital, is consistent with the organisation’s mandate of excellence through service.

Emphasising Lions Club International’s tradition of humanitarian services, Odu-Okpeseyi said: “For over a century of our service to humanity and mankind, Lions Club has taken a pride of place as the world’s largest service organisation with over 46,000 clubs and more than 1.4 million members in more than 200 countries and geographical regions across the world.”

She also said the club has been at the forefront of impactful community service in Nigeria.

She recalled that apart from the newly donated facility, Lions Club International in Nigeria had built and donated other medical facilities such as the Diabetes Screening Centre and functional Eye Theatre at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar; Cancer Treatment Centre at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada; Primary Health Centre, Atu Street, Calabar and the renovation of the Primary Health Centre in Nsa Ewa, Calabar.

She revealed that the club had begun the construction of a primary Health Centre in Edim Otop, Calabar.

Odu-Okpeseyi stressed that the delivery of the Diabetes Screening and Treatment Centre project was a milestone for Lions Club in Nigeria, adding that it has further reinforced its image as an organisation committed to its responsibility to provide succour to the downtrodden.

“This also underscored the salient fact of Lions Club tradition of working with local stakeholders and international facilitators to bring about life-impacting projects. This was clearly evident in the list of stakeholders commended for complementing the effort of Lions Club District 404A2 to make the project a reality. This project was proudly supported by Lions Club International Foundation (LCIF), members of Lions District 404A2 – Nigeria, the Cross River State Ministry of Health and other partners,” she noted.

Dignitaries that graced the ceremony included Governor Ben Ayade represented by the APC National Women Leader, Edu; the Multiple Council Chairperson, Multiple District 404 Nigeria, PDG Obo Edet; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Iwara Iwara; Special Assistant to the Governor on Health, Dr. David Ushie; Director General of Health Services, Dr. Janet Ekpenyong; Medical Superintendent of the General Hospital Ogoja, Dr. Ben Ajogbor and the leadership of the traditional institution, notably His Royal Highness Buturu Peter Ejue of Idum Mbube, among others.

Given the devastating effect of diabetes around the world, especially in Third World countries, the importance of the new medical facility cannot be over-emphasised  

Diabetes has, over the years, become a silent killer. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), it has caused not less than 1.5 million deaths globally.