Rotary Club Maryland to Build Maternal, Childcare Centre

By Oluchi Chibuzor

In its quest to improve the quality of healthcare in the Amuwo-Odofin area of Lagos State, the Rotary Club of Maryland in conjunction with the Chris Bamidele Onalaja Foundation (CBOF) has concluded plans to build a new maternal and childcare centre in the community.

The Maternal and Childcare Centre, Amuwo-Odofin, is expected to last nine months with its completion date set for April 2022.

Speaking in Lagos to journalists during the foundation laying ceremony for the new facility recently, the President of the Rotary Club of Maryland, Mr. Bamidele Onalaja, explained that the project was part of their effort to bring about change in the health sector.

Describing the project as the ‘star project’, Onalaja revealed that provisions have been made to ensure that the project becomes a reality, as key sponsors, Rotary of Maryland and CBOF, have taken into consideration that the government alone cannot solve health challenges in the state.

He said: “Rotary and CBOF have come together to make this project a reality because we know the government cannot do it alone. We want to support the government to make sure that healthcare services are provided for all Lagosians and Nigerians in general.

“The hospital is our star project for the Rotary of Maryland, and we are planning to deliver it within the next nine months or less.”

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of the Maternal and Childcare Centre, Dr. Dapo Soyinka, said the project was laudable, and that he was confident that the organisations would deliver on their promise.

Soyinka, who listed some of the facilities to be provided to include bathing suites; i-dependent units for babies apart from the neonatal ward, and mini Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for babies who are unconscious and came out badly with respiratory difficulties.

According to him, “We were also promised a crèche which is needed especially for the female staff. After they have delivered, they have difficulty putting their babies in crèches. Their hearts are divided. Now that we are going to have a crèche in-house, our staff members should concentrate on their work better because they have their babies in proximity to their working place.”

The Head Nurse at the Centre, Mrs. Oladimeji Aduke, said the project would make life better for healthcare workers and citizens, as she called on other well-meaning Nigerians to take a cue from the organisations to add value to their community.