BY AWELE OGBOGU
THE Rotary Club of Asaba GRA has organized a club project at the Ibusa Health Centre in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, titled “Maternal and Child Health/Disease Prevention and Treatment”, in partnership with six Rotaract clubs.
Coinciding with the kick-off of the 2024 Rotary Year, the Rotaract clubs involved in the project included those of Asaba, Asaba Urban, Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku, Asaba GRA, Asaba Government House and Rotaract Club of Asaba New City.
During the project execution by the Rotarians and Rotaractors, Rtn. Onoyona Azubuike Edwin (PHF) was introduced to the pregnant women at the Ibusa health Centre as “the brand-new president”, having emerged recently as President of Rotary Club of Asaba GRA for the 2024-2025 Rotary Year. Addressing the pregnant women in their numbers, Rtn. Onoyona introduced the project as one of the areas of focus of the Rotary International, saying that the Rotary Club of Asaba GRA under his stewardship will vigorously pursue the realization of all the other causes of Rotary International, while promising to domesticate the ideals of the global humanitarian organization to benefit individuals and communities under the Rotary Club of Asaba GRA.
Onoyona and other Rotarians as well as the Rotaractors prayed with the women, danced together and shared jokes,while the pregnant women were asked to feel free to share their challenges and experiences.
This was followed by a lecture on Cholera, occasioned by the recent outbreak of the disease in many parts of the country. It was delivered by Okey-Ezeufo Chidera, a nurse at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba.
Describing the pregnant women as one of the vulnerable groups, Nurse Okey-Ezeufo enjoined the women to prioritize good personal hygiene, hand washing with soap and running water down to the wrist for at least 10 seconds and to allow it dry on its own or use tissue/serviette.
Other safety practices the women were taught included peeling the back of fruits such as apple and cucumber before eating, washing meat and fruits with salty water and rinse multiple times, use of water guard or to boil water if one does not trust their source of water, avoid food vendors whose method of food preparation is not trusted, while laying emphasis on avoiding open defecation and covering pit toilets at all times as well as proper hand washing after using the toilet, saying that all these safety measures will help break the cycle of cholera.
Ezeufo-Chidera also took the women on OTS preparation and administration, describing it as a first aid in the treatment of cholera.
The nurse from FMC Asaba said it can be prepared with half a tea spoon of salt, 4 big spoons of sugar added to a litre of water, but must be disposed after 24 hours.
Those who gave various words of encouragement to the women included the vice president of Rotary Club of Asaba GRA, Rtr. Juliet Eru-Ezefili, PAG Billy Onotue, the Project Chair, Rtn. Olanrewaju Oyeniyi, Rtn. Joy Ochei, as well as John Eferurhobo, Ovuworie Emoefe, Nzediegwu Godwin, Christopher Gift, Nkwubuike Godwin and Rtn. Evidence, presidents of Rotaract clubs of Asaba, Asaba GRA, Asaba Government House, Asaba Urban, Asaba New City and Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku respectively.
