The provision of antenatal care should not be left in the hands of Government alone, against this backdrop, the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt, Mother and Child has presented and inducted new Charter President and members to help her actualize her star project of providing antenatal care to 300 indigent pregnant women in Rivers State.
Speaking during the presentation ceremony, the Charter President, Rtn. Edmund Anuforo disclosed that the club’s star project of providing antenatal care for 300 indigent pregnant women across the width and breadth of Rivers State will be done in partnership with Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board and some selected private clinics in the state.
He called on good spirited individuals to join hand with the club as all hands are required to be on deck to get the needed support for the laudable project.
Expressing excitement over the successful charter presentation ceremony, the Chairman, Charter Presentation Committee, Rtn. Vetty Agala disclosed that Rotary’s areas of focus encompass the world’s most critical and widespread humanitarian organization made up of Professionals, business men and women United worldwide in the ideal of service to humanity.
She stressed the need to support the star project of ensuring that women access antenatal care and delivery under skilled birth attendants.
She called on people to adopt pregnant women, adding that it costs only #20,000 to adopt and care for a pregnant woman.
On her own part, the public image director, Rtn Lilian Okonkwo – Ogabu stated that the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Mother and Child is a cause- based club whose members are passionate about a particular cause and focus their service efforts in that area.
She expressed confidence that the club will add value to the lives of women and children in the state adding that children are highly treasured and valued not just because the future belongs to them, but because without them the human race will go into extinction.
The newly inducted Rotarian promised to use her wealth of experience in championing the cause of women and children to contribute to the club’s star project which is ensuring that 300 indigent pregnant women access free antenatal care in the state.
She expressed happiness to be part of the unique cause- based club to render special services to humanity especially women and children.
In her lecture titled “The Nigerian Child Past and Present: The Way Forward” Mrs. Georgiana Ngeri-Nwagha informed that though children were treasured they were not accorded any rights in the traditional African society and were vulnerable to a wide range of abuses and harmful traditional practices.
She identified factors like ignorance, poor nutrition and lack of appropriate health facilities and antenatal care as being responsible for high infant mortality rates in the past adding that in an attempt to change the narrative, the Nigerian government has ratified the Convention on the rights of the child, while domesticating the provisions of the International Convention.
