SCI donates N50m medical equipment, materials to Ikorodu health facilities

• Trains Journalists On Importance Of Reporting Pneumonia
As part of efforts to tackle childhood illnesses in Lagos State, especially pneumonia, Save the Children International (SCI) has donated hospital equipment, Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) materials worth about N50m to 27 Primary healthcare centres (PHCs), and two general hospitals in Ikorodu Local Council.

The Country Director of SCI, Mr. Famari Barro, represented by the Deputy Director, Programme Operations, Nwamaka Ifionu, said that the project focused on childhood illnesses as a whole, using pneumonia as a fulcrum, with the target being to ensure integrated and sustainable reduction of childhood illness in local council.

“And we are doing it through a number of efforts that support capacity strengthening, at the health facilities level. In that wise, we have supported the training of health workers, immunisation service and several efforts to improve on the number of resources, equipment and tools that health workers have at their disposal to do the work that they do and to do it well. And today we are donating all the materials and equipment in support of that effort. And we want to make sure that Ikorodu Local Council and the health facilities therein are equipped with oxygen to save lives when needed.”

Speaking on the impart of the support over the years, Ifionu, who thanked its donor, GSK Plc for the giant support, she said that there has been drastic improvement in the ability to correctly diagnose pneumonia, noting that before there were instances of misdiagnoses, which implied that children were noting appropriate care for the illness.

“So this drastic improvement in the ability to diagnose pneumonia also means that children who come in to present symptoms of pneumonia are able to get required and appropriate care in a timely manner, and that the facilities have the resources including, medical oxygen to administer this treatment to them, and be sure that unlike before, they are not dying of pneumonia.”

The Chief of Party, SCI Inspiring Project, Dr Isah Adamu, stated that SCI is committed to doing as much as it can to improve the health of children in Lagos State, especially in Ikorodu.

He revealed that the N50m worth of medical materials and equipment donated to PHCs and general hospitals in Ikorodu was the third in a series donation.

“The intention is to give everything that Ikorodu requires to reduce deaths among children under the age of five. That is the overall objective that we want. But we want to, through a pilot, use every skill that we know; every strategy that works with the 27 PHCs in Ikorodu and 2 general hospitals to improve the situation in the diagnosing and treatment of pneumonia in Ikorodu, if we saturate the council with all the things they need.”

The Medical Director, Ikorodu General Hospital, Dr. Taiwo Hassan, thanked SCI and GSK Plc., for the combined efforts that have resulted in the donation, and interventions in the public health facilities in Ikorodu.

According to him, the intervention is very commendable because pneumonia is one of the killer diseases of children under the age of five. He promised that all the items and equipment donated to the hospitals would be judiciously used to save lives.

Similarly, SCI for two days trained some Lagos-based journalists on the importance, and how to better report issues around childhood illnesses, especially pneumonia.