Rotary launches initiative to combat child mortality in Kwara

By Ola Taiwo

The Rotary International District 9126 has come up with a community-based child health initiative to promote sound health among children in Kwara State.

The initiative, tagged Rotary Health Communities Challenge, is

 aimed at reducing child mortality arising from malaria, pneumonia, diarrhoea and malnutrition.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Aminat Ahmed El-Imam, who launched the initiative during a meeting with Rotary members of the District 9126 in her office in Ilorin commended Rotary for its continued contribution to the state’s healthcare system.

She expressed delight that the Rotary was coming up with the initiative to complement the government’s efforts at reducing child mortality in the state.

The coomissioner advocated more investment by corporate organisations and other stakeholders in the health sector, particularly in health awareness and education at the grassroots.

“There is a need for more private and corporate organisations to come into the health sector. We also need more health awareness and health education because prevention remains very important,” she stated.

The commissioner also sought support of Rotary  for the state government in efforts  to check rising insecurity that threatens socio-economic development of the state 

“Kwara has its own peculiar challenges, including insecurity, and I would like Rotary to also use its capabilities to contribute to creating a safe environment for everyone,” she stated.

The Rotary District Governor Rotarian Olaniyi Okin and Secretary, Rotarian Buhari Oladimeji, explained that the initiative was a multi-country programme centred on integrated community case management.

The Rotary officers who spoke on behalf of chairperson of the organisation, Prof. Khadijat Musah, said the three childhood illness the  initiative would  mostly focus on namely  malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea as well as malnutrition had contributed significantly to deaths among children.

Okin said Rotary was not seeking to establish a parallel healthcare system but to complement the existing efforts of the state Ministry of Health and the Primary Health Care Development Agency.

He stated: “Our intention is not to run a parallel health programme, but to complement what the state is already doing through the Ministry of Health and the Primary Health Care Development Agency,” he said.

The Rotary governor said collaboration with the state government was essential to ensure that the programme aligned with the state’s healthcare policies, priorities and primary healthcare structures.

He explained that the programme would place particular emphasis on health promotion at the grassroots.

Okin said Rotary would remain committed to supporting initiatives designed to improve healthcare outcomes for children and families across Kwara.

He appreciated the state government for maintaining  partnership with Rotary

The Zonal Coordinator, Rotarian Ayodeji Olagunju, said participating Rotary clubs would organise community campaigns and caregiver education in selected communities in consultation with the Ministry of Health and the Primary Health Care Development Agency.