National Lottery Trust Fund donates sports, other equipment to Onikan Centre

The National Lottery Trust Fund, at the weekend, donated medical equipment to the Onikan Health Centre as part of its support to the quest for proper health services to athletes and other members of the society suffering from various ailments.

The National Lottery trust fund, which, over the years, has sponsored Nigeria’s sports stars and donated facilities to various organisations, said it provided the medical support to ensure that Nigerians from all strata of the society get quality health care without travelling out of the country.

The Fund sponsored rising star athlete, Rosemary Chukwuma to the 2018 World Youth Olympics, where she won medals for the country in the 100 meters event. .

The fund also donated customised equipment in nine sports to over 2000 public primary schools in the 36 states and FCT.

Speaking at the event, Executive Secretary/CEO, National Lottery Trust Fund, Dr. Bello Maigari, said the organisation’s intervention is to deliver world-class vital medical facilities that is urgently required in the country.

“The Lottery Trust Fund saving provides high standard care not only to vulnerable pregnant women and children, but also to athletes and other patients seeking urgent medical interventions in Lagos State and its environs.

“We thank Onikan Health Centre and the Lagos State government for dedicating resources and time to make the event a reality. Our commitment to improve the health delivery in Lagos Island community remains our goal. We employ everybody to keep to government instructions to curb the COVID-19 pandemic by maintaining social distancing, washing hands frequently and wearing face masks,” he said.

Also speaking the Minister for Special Duties, Senator George Akume, who was represented by a top official at the ministry, urged the Lottery Trust Fund to extend the laudable interventions to other healthcare centres across the country and ensure the full monitoring and evaluation of the process in order to keep track of utilisation of the facilities.

“We know lottery as a wealth generator and its impact on the growth of the economy. Over the years, across jurisdictions, wealth generated from lottery has been used to transform societies through provision of infrastructural and other socio- economic development across the world to which Nigeria is not an exception,” he said.

Medical Director/CEO of Onikan Medical Centre, Dr. Biyi Kufo, praised the National Lottery Fund for the medical equipment, pledging that facilities would be distributed to the various departments in the hospital that require them.

The items donated to the centre include a cardiograph machine, phototherapy machine, remote control delivery beds, laboratory microscope and other essential medical equipment.