Group boosts healthcare in Idi Araba with medical cabin

To enhance healthcare and service delivery in Idi Araba community, Mushin Local Government area of Lagos State, Rotary International at the weekend unveiled a Medical Health Cabin value at N11, 296, 875 to serve the people of the area as a mini primary health centre.

The project, which was part of eight medical cabins procured for eight locations in Ogun and Lagos States, was co-sponsored by Rotary District 9110 in Nigeria; District 2430 in Turkey; District 6910 in Georgia, United States of America; District 4420 in Brazil, Rotary Foundation, and the Rotary Club of Gbagada.

Speaking at the event, Past District 9110 Governor (PDG), Dr. Deinde Shoga, said PDGs Dr. Wale Ogunbadejo and Serdar Unlu initiated the project in 2017 when the duo met at a programme in Florida, preparatory to their assumption of office as District Governors.

“Together, they went through the process of raising funds, bringing up a coalition of districts and clubs that provided money, and also Rotary Foundation that provided the matching funds to procure eight cabins equipped with medical equipment and necessary accessories for the healthcare centres,” he said.

According to him, Idi Araba was among five underserved communities picked after consultation with the Lagos State government, noting that they fall into the category of areas where there were no health facilities within reach of the people.

Ogunbadejo in a chat with newsmen said he came up with the idea when he was brainstorming on how to make an impact in his one-year tenure as governor.

“I knew that the health facilities in the country were poor, and the first place for everybody to receive healthcare is the primary health centre. So I wanted to have as many healthcare facilities as possible in both Lagos and Ogun States,” he said.

According to him, the project took them three years of persistent work before it became a reality.

Ogunbadejo promised the club will continue to work with the local government to sustain the facility for a long period for the benefit of the community.

President, Rotary Club of Gbagada, Akinwale Odutola, said: “After assessing the need of the people in Idi Araba, we felt that it is important to have the facility in the community, which is almost 80 per cent a migrant population. We know it will impact lives and enhance healthy living for the people.”

Odutola said the club would soon site medical cabins in Eruwen, Ikorodu, Epe, Taffi in Ojo local government and Iworo in Badagry.