As part of activities commemorating Rotary’s July Maternal and Child Health Month, the Rotary Club of Ibadan Oritamefa, Rotary Club of Ibadan, Rotary Club of Agodi, and Rotary Club of Iyaganku have reaffirmed their commitment to improving maternal and child healthcare through a joint humanitarian outreach that brought hope and relief to expectant mothers in Ibadan.
The four Rotary clubs collaborated on a two-day maternal and child health project held at Apete Primary Health Centre and Idi-Ogungun Primary Health Care Centre, Agodi Gate, where they donated over forty baby bathing bowls, delivery kits, diapers, detergents, baby soaps, baby lotions, cotton wool, methylated spirit, buckets, soap cases, shaving sticks and other essential newborn care items to pregnant women.
The outreach attracted Rotary leaders, healthcare professionals, district officers, local government health officials and community members, all united by a common goal of supporting safe motherhood and giving newborn babies a healthier start to life.
President of the Rotary Club of Ibadan Oritamefa, Rotarian Ojo Jimoh, explained that his club adopted the Idi-Ogungun Primary Health Care Centre after conducting a needs assessment within the community.
He said the decision to partner with the other three Rotary clubs was driven by a desire to achieve greater impact through collective service.
“Our club adopted the Idi-Ogungun Primary Health Care Centre because we identified significant maternal and child health needs here. Together with the Rotary Club of Ibadan, Rotary Club of Agodi and Rotary Club of Iyaganku, we decided to provide baby bathing bowls and other essential materials to support expectant mothers.
“We are confident that the management of this health centre will ensure these items are not diverted or sold but are used by the mothers for the care of their babies. This will not be our last visit. We will continue to support this health facility and pray that every expectant mother here will experience a safe delivery and healthy babies.”
He urged the expectant mothers to make judicious use of the donated items and maintain good personal hygiene before and after childbirth.
According to him, proper hygiene is vital to preventing infections and ensuring the health of both mothers and newborns.
He noted that Rotary International remains committed to partnering with governments and communities to improve access to quality healthcare through impactful and sustainable interventions.
“The items presented today are meant to support you during childbirth and after delivery. We encourage you to use them for the purpose they were given. Take good care of yourselves and your babies by maintaining proper hygiene. Healthy mothers produce healthy families, and healthy families build stronger communities,” Rotarian Jimoh said.
Speaking during the programme at Apete Primary Health Centre, the District Governor of Rotary International District 9126, Rotarian Olaniyi Amoo Okin, commended the four clubs for their collaboration and dedication to one of Rotary’s Areas of Focus—Maternal and Child Health.
Also speaking, the President of the Rotary Club of Agodi, Rotarian Olushola Sulaiman, said the clubs carefully selected items that every newborn and mother would require immediately after delivery.
She listed the items to include baby bathing bowls, buckets, diapers, soap cases, methylated spirit, cotton wool, baby soaps, baby lotions and shaving sticks.
She appealed to well-meaning Nigerians, corporate organisations and other service groups to complement government efforts by supporting vulnerable mothers and children.
“Every child deserves a healthy start to life, and every mother deserves care and encouragement. No contribution is too small when it comes to saving lives and supporting families. We encourage more organisations to emulate Rotary by reaching out to those in need.”
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The President of the Rotary Club of Ibadan, Rotarian Musa Busari Adebayo, expressed delight over the impressive turnout of pregnant women, describing it as evidence that such interventions are greatly needed.
He said Rotary’s mission goes beyond donating items, noting that the organisation is committed to improving lives through sustainable community service.
“It gives us great joy to see so many expectant mothers benefiting from this project. It shows that our intervention is timely and relevant. Rotary is committed to serving humanity, and whenever we identify genuine needs within our communities, we will continue to respond. We hope these items will ease some of the financial burden on the families and encourage more women to attend antenatal clinics and deliver safely in healthcare facilities.”
President of the Rotary Club of Iyaganku, Rotarian Oyedapo Idowu, said the selection of the two primary healthcare centres followed a comprehensive needs assessment carried out by the clubs.
He explained that the outreach was designed to meet the immediate needs of expectant mothers who often struggle to purchase basic baby items before delivery.
“Every item we donated today is useful and necessary. These are practical materials that mothers require immediately after childbirth. We believe this intervention will reduce some of the challenges they face and encourage more women to embrace antenatal care and safe delivery.”
Representing the District Governor at the event on Thursday ,Rotarian Abiola Ajayi described the outreach as another example of Rotary’s enduring commitment to humanitarian service.
He said the donated materials were carefully selected to meet the immediate needs of mothers and newborns.
“Our purpose is to encourage these mothers and provide some of the essential items they need as they prepare for childbirth. Rotary believes that every mother deserves support and every child deserves a healthy beginning. This project reflects our commitment to improving maternal and child health in our communities.”
Healthcare workers at both facilities praised the Rotary clubs for complementing government efforts to strengthen primary healthcare services.
Speaking on behalf of the Ibadan North Local Government Health Authority, Dr. Aboderin Amina, expressed appreciation to the four Rotary clubs for their generosity.
“On behalf of the Ibadan North Health Authority, we sincerely appreciate the Rotary Club of Ibadan Oritamefa, Rotary Club of Ibadan, Rotary Club of Agodi and Rotary Club of Iyaganku for these wonderful donations. These items will greatly benefit our pregnant women and their babies. We pray that God will continue to bless your clubs and provide the resources for you to continue serving humanity.”
Many of the expectant mothers were visibly excited as they received the baby care materials.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, one of the pregnant women thanked the Rotary clubs for remembering them during such an important period of their lives.
“We are overwhelmed by this kindness. Some of us could not afford many of these items, but today Rotary has provided them for us. We sincerely thank the four Rotary clubs for remembering us. May God continue to bless every Rotarian, enlarge your resources and reward your generosity.”
The outreach once again demonstrated Rotary’s unwavering commitment to its Maternal and Child Health Area of Focus. Through collaboration, compassion and community service, the four Rotary clubs have not only provided essential baby care materials but have also renewed hope for dozens of expectant mothers, reinforcing Rotary’s belief that meaningful partnerships can create healthier families and stronger communities.
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