By Aniefiok Christopher
Some Paramount Rulers in Akwa Ibom State have expressed their support for the Rotary Healthy Communities Challenge (RHCC), aimed at addressing malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea among children under five years in Akwa Ibom State.
The royal fathers, including the Paramount Ruler of Eket, Edidem Etim Charles Abia, his counterpart in Ibesikpo Asutan, Edidem Clement Francis Ekpenyong and his counterpart in Ikono, Edidem Etim Nnana Itang, made the pledge during courtesy visits by the RHCC delegation led by Dr. Dele Balogun, the Country Lead, to their palaces in Eket, Ibesikpo Asutan, and Ikono respectively.
The monarchs pledged their commitment to the RHCC initiative co-funded by the Rotary International Foundation and the Bill Gates Foundation, recognising its potential to significantly reduce child mortality in their communities.
The Rotary Healthy Communities Challenge is a three-year initiative by Rotary International and its implementing Partners, PATH, focusing on the three leading causes of death among children under five in Nigeria: malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhoea.
The project is collaborated with the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and the governments of Akwa Ibom and Kebbi States as well as local communities.
Speaking during the meeting, Edidem E.C. D Abia expressed his confidence in the RHCC’s potential to effectively combat malaria, diarrhoea, and pneumonia.
Abia equally thanked Rotary International for selecting Akwa Ibom as one of only two states in Nigeria to benefit from the initiative and for including his community in the programme.
In their separate remarks, Edidem Clement Ekpenyong of Ibesikpo Asutan and Edidem Etim Nnana Itang of Ikono reaffirmed their commitment to the initiative, promising to provide maximum support to ensure their communities receive the necessary medical assistance.
They pledged to engage with family and village heads, as well as community leaders, to ensure accurate information is disseminated ahead of the programme’s launch in September.
Speaking during the meetings, the RHCC Country Lead, Dr. Dele Balogun, highlighted that participants from the selected communities have been trained to manage malaria, diarrhoea, and pneumonia in six wards from the selected local government areas with the highest prevalence of the diseases.
Balogun assured that testing and treatment would be free, with severe cases referred to primary health facilities or general hospitals.
“We are here to ensure that children under five do not die from diseases that are easily diagnosed and treatable,” he stated.
Speaking further, he said “We will be going door-to-door, educating households on how to prevent malaria, diarrhoea, and pneumonia. These diseases should not claim the lives of our children any longer.
“We hope that within three years, our success will encourage the government and the Rotary Foundation to extend this project to other local government areas in Akwa Ibom State.”
“Rotary has successfully tackled polio, and the achievements in that area inspire us to undertake this bigger project. Our success here could lead the federal and state governments, along with more donors, to expand this initiative to other parts of the country,” he added.
The RHCC delegation paid similar visits to Onna and Oruk Anam Local Government Areas, where the initiative was warmly embraced by the royal fathers who made commitment to mobilise their subjects for the Rotary Healthy Community Challenge.
On the delegation were Past District Governors of Rotary International District 9142, Sam Uko and Akan Emah, other past District Governors, Elvis Chukwu, Ify Ejezie, Rotarians Ekemini Ukim, the President of the Rotary Club of Uyo Diamond and Joel Archibong.
