The Nation Newspaper

Tag: wheelchairs

  • Rotary donates wheelchairs to cerebral palsy foundation

    Rotary District 9110, in collaboration with some clubs, has donated 21 wheelchairs to Benola Cerebral Palsy Initiative at the District Centre in Ikeja, Lagos. The clubs are Rotary Club of Victoria Garden City (VGC), Rotary Club of Ikoyi Metropolitan and Rotary Club of Accra East (District 9102), Ghana.

    District (9110) Governor Kola Sodipo said they embarked on the project to assist cerebral palsy patients to enable them move around. He said it is good to do good, especially to people who find themselves in difficult situations that they did not cause such as the cerebral palsy children and adults. He said by the donation, the children would be happy. “Let us continue to do good because the good we do will come back to us,’’ he added. He thanked Benola Cerebral Palsy Initiative and pledged his continuous support to it.

    Rotary Club of VGC President Victor Edomwande said the idea to embark on the project came about during his investiture and that it was aimed at touching the lives of the less privileged, who are physically challenged. It was the first time his club would execute such a project, he added. Each of the wheelchair cost between N55,000 and N100,000, he disclosed, adding that their target is to provide 1,000 wheelchairs. He thanked the partnering clubs for their support.

    Read also: Rotary Club donates facility to school

    Benola Cerebral Palsy Initiative founder, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Femi Gbadebo (retired), described the gesture as “a wonderful thing.” He said it was part of the vision of the group to take care of children and adults living with cerebral palsy and assist their parents on how to manage them. He noted that cerebral palsy is a condition that deserves special attention of all, urging drugs manufacturers, corporate organisations and the government to give those living with it due assistance.

    He said over 650,000 Nigerians live with cerebral palsy and that the wheelchairs were a drop in an ocean. At the moment, about 500 patients were on the queue, he said. However, with the advice of medics, they would be offered to those in need.

  • Wheelchairs for three minors

    Wheelchairs for three minors

    It was a happy moment when three physically-challenged persons in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, received wheelchairs from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

    The gesture was part of the mandates of the Corps Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) designed to provide quality health care services for the less-privileged and the physically-challenged, particularly in the rural communities.

    The wheelchairs were presented to the beneficiaries at the HIRD programme held at Mapo Hall, Ibadan.

    The three beneficiaries, Steve Okejide, (male) and two females namely Aishat Maroof and Omolara Adebusayo emerged through an open balloting among eight persons who vied for the wheelchairs.

    However, the sum of N27, 250, raised at the programme was shared equally among the eight physically-challenged for their upkeep. The presentation ceremony was witnessed by the Oyo State Coordinator of the NYSC, Mrs. Ifeoma Anidobi, top NYSC officials, corps members and some physically-challenged individuals who were accompanied by their friends and relations.

    The Head of Local Government Administration, Ibadan South East Local Government Area, Mrs. Victoria Akinpelu, represented the caretaker chairman of the council, Alhaji Teslim Ajimobi.

    Mrs. Anidobi said the aims and objectives of HIRD were “to sensitise the rural dwellers to the dangers of some common ailments and preventable diseases, to diagnose and also treat rural people in selected communities who are suffering from one illness or the other.”

    She stressed that the gesture was also aimed at providing first aid services for minors on peculiar ailments and provide free screening services on HIV, hepatitis and sickle cell anaemia, among others, adding that stakeholders in the health sector contributed immensely to make the objectives achievable.

    She said: “To make the programme achieve its full objectives, various stakeholders in the health sector, corporate entities, non-governmental organisations; global agencies such as World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and regional bodies such as United States Agency for International Development (USAID) were contacted to assist in areas of drug donation, logistic supplies, enlightenment talks and rural health shows.

    “The programme had been carried out in all the states of the federation and has also received positive media publicity and response from rural dwellers. To add more value to our society and to improve the well-being of the citizens, the present Director-General of the scheme, Brig-General Sule Kazaure decided to bring health relief to the residents of Ibadan South East Local Government Area, even as he directed that three sets of wheel chairs be distributed to the physically-challenged for easy mobility.”

    The corps members serving in Ibadan South East Local Government Area, however, adopted one of the three beneficiaries, Aishat Maroof.

    Miss Bukola Olayode, who spoke on behalf of the corps members, said Aishat was adopted because she is already in a primary school. The gesture was aimed at lifting financial burden off the shoulders of her grandmother, who has been taking care of her since Aishat’s mother died.

    Olayode said the adoption would cover all educational expenses of Aishat, adding that the leadership of NYSC were involved so that the gesture would not stop for Aishat when the present set of corps members pass out of the scheme.

    Mrs. Akinpelu, on behalf of the council’s chairman, appreciated the NYSC for the gesture, describing the event as significant.

    She added that giving to the underprivileged in the society is a humanitarian service that should be continuous.

  • 24 physically-challenged get wheelchairs

    24 physically-challenged get wheelchairs

    •Obiano, Red Cross hail gesture 

    The Red Cross Society of Nigeria (NRCS) and Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano yesterday gave 24 wheelchairs to the physically-challenged.

    The wheelchairs were donated by the Taiwanese government.

    Five wheelchairs were given to Abia State, five to Anambra State, five to Ebonyi State, four to Enugu State and five to Imo State.

    The physically-challenged gathered at the Red Cross Office in Anambra to collect their wheelchairs, distributed by Chairman of Southeast Red Cross Society Justice Paul Obidigwe (retd).

    Vice Chairman of the society in Anambra, Prof. Peter Katchy, hailed the Taiwanese government through its ambassador for the gesture.

    He said the donation would alleviate the vulnerabilities of the affected persons.

    Obidigwe said the gesture would ameliorate the conditions of the beneficiaries and assuage their despondency.

    NRCS National President Elder Bolaji Anani was represented by Chief Enyinnaya Orji.

    Some of the beneficiaries; Obinna Akwuogu, from Anambra, and Jane Ijeoma, from Imo, thanked the Red Cross and the Taiwanese government for remembering them.

    They said the physically challenged had problems, adding that they need to be remembered.

    Governor Obiano, represented by Dr. Okwuchukwu Chukwuka, permanent secretary, Ministry of Health, praised the Taiwanese government for the gesture.

    He said Anambra government would render assistance anytime it was called upon by the Red Cross and others.

  • Obiano’s wife gives out wheelchairs

    Obiano’s wife gives out wheelchairs

    It was just as well that her response to the rumours was charity. For several months wife of Anambra State governor Ebelechukwu Obiano was out of public view, with some speculating that she was dead. But she has brushed aside all the rumours not as much with words as with action. She gave out wheelchairs to physically challenged persons at the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia.

    The presentation of the materials coincided with her birthday which she celebrated with the physically challenged.

    As she was being kind to the needy through her Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Caring Family Enhancement Initiative (CAFÉ), a philanthropist Dr. Tony Anukwu of Tona Geological Services was donating to the NGO.

    Anukwu gave out 20 motorcycles and gas cookers to CAFE at the Governor’s Lodge where he urged other philanthropists to donate to Mrs Obiano’s pet project.

    While giving out the wheel chairs to the physically challenged persons, Mrs. Obiano said, “There is a reason why some children of God turn-out physically challenged in their present conditions”

    “There is something God wants you and me to do in such a challenging situation. I don’t believe anybody is handicapped, because it means the person is worthless; I see it that you only have challenges.

    “My mission on earth is to help mankind….When my husband became governor, I bought the idea of starting a pet project, but objected to limiting the focus area to just one intervention area.

    “I decided to delve into many focus areas to enable me touch many people with diverse needs. I was a Marriage Counselor for 15 years and since 1991, I promised our Mother Mary and our Lord Jesus that I am going to champion the cause of the less privileged ones in our society.”

    The president of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JNAPWD), Comrade Ugochukwu Okeke, commended Mrs. Obiano for her endless streams of empowerment programmes beneficial to the physically challenged persons since her husband’s administration.

    He recalled that in about one year plus in office, she has facilitated the establishment of three rehabilitation centres well accessible to disable persons in the three senatorial zones of Anambra central (Oba), Anambra north (Aguleri) and Anambra south (Nawfija).

    •The motorcycles
    •The motorcycles

    However, receiving the 20 motorcycles and gas cookers from Dr. Anukwu, Mrs. Obiano expressed satisfaction to the donor and his wife for their continuous support to her CAFÉ.

    She said, “I am impressed with what is happening here today. It is a confirmation that God loves Anambra State. This further confirms that my decision to register CAFE, an NGO that caters for the whole of the family is not in vain.”

    “The fact that philanthropists and our poeple are joining hands with us is a thing of joy that should be commended.”

    “I have been doing selfless work before I became the wife of the governor, I sometimes get worried at the enormity of the task, but I also believe that we have prominent sons and daughters of Anambra who are their brothers keepers like the Managing Director of Tona Geological Services, Mr. Tony Anukwu and his amiable wife. I thank them for their kind gesture.”

    Speaking with The Nation, Anukwu said they had followed closely the empowerment programme of the first Lady and decided to support it, adding, it was my motivation.

    He said “We are here to identify with the wife of the governor for her continuous care for the less privileged and the indigent in support of the work of the governor.”

    “We have been monitoring CAFE programmes right from Lagos where she lived before joining her husband in the service of our people. My family and friends will continue to support CAFÉ.”

  • Rotary donates special wheelchairs to orthopaedic hospital

    As part of its efforts to bring succour to spinal cord injury victims, Rotary International Club of Ikeja South has made a donation of specialized wheelchairs to the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos.

    The specialized wheelchairs, comprising of the commode, electric wheelchair and manual, according to Governor, District 9110, Otunba Bola Onabadejo, is a manifestation of the Rotary International’s objectives of touching lives and putting smiles on the faces of the needy.

    He noted that healthcare, which includes disease prevention, maternal newborn and child health, was a major area of focus for Rotary, adding that the recent victory of Nigeria over polio was achieved by the immense work of the international service organisation which began in 1905.

    Rotn Onabadejo, who formally presented the wheelchairs to Chief Nurse Officer, Mrs. Helen Okereke, at the Spinal Cord Injury Ward F, used the opportunity to encourage Nigerians who live in Lagos and Ogun states which make up District 9110 to join the club so as to impact society.

    In his remarks, President of Rotary Club of Ikeja South, Mr. Oladele Oyatope, said the wheelchairs were presented to his club by the late Mrs. Bolaji Ajayi, and was thankful to her family for deciding to donate them to the hospital for the benefit of other Nigerians.

    An elated Mrs. Helen Okereke, while thanking Rotary, explained that the electric wheelchair is a special assistant machine that can be easily manipulated even by patients who are paralysed from neck down.

    “It would enable them move around easily and aid there recovery process,” Okereke said.

    She used the opportunity to call on other humanitarian organisations to come to the aid of the hospital, which according to her, is in need of specialized equipment.

    Apart from the District Governor, others at the presentation were Assistant Governor, Rotn Kemi Popoola; Rotn Bade Oke (Past Assistant Governor); Rotn (Dr.) Julius S.O. Nwokoro and Rotn Niyi Otunuyi.