World Polio Day: Rotary Club Embarks On Awareness, Medical Outreach Campaigns, Immunises Children In Bayelsa

By Peters Monday, Abuja

On Tuesday, the Rotary Club of Oxbow Lake joined Rotarians, Rotaractors, and other partners in Bayelsa State, including UNICEF and the Bayelsa State Primary Health Care Board, to mark World Polio Day 2023 with a Polio Awareness Walk/Sensitization in Yenagoa, the state capital.

Congress news gathered that the participants marched from Imgbi Road to Swali Market and then to the State Secretariat Complex to educate the public about the risks of the Polio virus and the importance of getting their children immunised.

Speaking at the Swali Market, Rotarian Fortune Alfred, President of the Rotary Club of Oxbow Lake, urged the public to ensure that their children and relatives aged 5 and under be immunised against the Polio virus, since one in every 200 Polio infections results in permanent paralysis.

Alfred maintained that World Polio Day is a day set aside by Rotarians all around the world and their partners to raise awareness and redouble efforts not just to eradicate Polio but also to ensure that there are no new cases after eradication.

However, Rotary’s Bayelsa State PolioPlus Coordinator Rotarian Onyeye Kunle-Olowu, who is also a Professor of Medicine, Past District Governor of Rotary District 9141, Rotarian Mightyman Aye Dikuro, the Executive Secretary, Bayelsa State Primary Health Care Board, Chief (Dr) Williams Appah, and the President of the Rotary Club of Yenagoa Sunshine Rotary Innocent Jumbo are among the other speakers at the event.

Other activities were also held by the Oxbow Lake Rotary Club at the State Secondary School in Kpansia, Yenagoa. The Club’s PolioPlus Director, Rotarian Dr Douye Lorretta Indiamaowei, joined the State Rotary Family Health Coordinator, Dr Hilda Afakwu-Adimoha, Dr Rume Ndokinta, and other Rotarians and Rotaractors to launch Rotary Family Health Week, sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and others which runs from October 24 to 26.

Some of the activities held at this location included the immunization of children aged 5 and under by the Presidents of various Rotary Clubs in the state, free medical outreach and the distribution of various medications and Mosquito nets to more than 100 children, Pregnant and Nursing Mother’s as well as the Elderly from Kpansia and nearby communities a health talk on the polio disease burden, and justification for Rotary’s polio eradication efforts. Hand hygiene demonstration with soap distribution and crutches presentation to a polio survivor conducted by Rotarian Kunle-Olowu.

Past Assistant Governors Oweibi Godspower Tare and Alabor-Odoni Werinipre Ann, Assistant Governor Sikpi Sylvanus, Nicky Cleopas, President-Elect Victor Binawari, Ibirimo Obiene, Ebisco Warikoru, Ebi Lawson, Patrick Tamara, Judith Odunukwe, and prospective Rotarian Daniel Periso were also present.