Eket, Ibesikpo Asutan, Ikono Traditional Leaders Pledge Support For Rotary Health Initiative
Itoro Bassey
The Paramount Ruler of the Eket local government area, Edidem Etim Charles D. Abia, has expressed his full support for the Rotary Healthy Communities Challenge (RHCC), aimed at addressing malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhoea in Akwa Ibom State.
Similarly, the Paramount Ruler of Ibesikpo Asutan LGA, Edidem Clement Francis Ekpenyong III, and his counterpart in Ikono, Edidem Etim Nnana Itang, have pledged their commitment to the RHCC initiative, recognising its potential to significantly reduce child mortality in their communities.
They made the commitment during separate courtesy visits from the RHCC delegation, led by the Country Lead, Dr. Dele Balogun, to their palaces in Eket, Akpautong, Ibesikpo Asutan, and Itak in Ikono.
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 collaborates 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.
He also thanked Rotary 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.
Also 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.
He 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,” Dr. Balogun stated.
“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.”
He added, “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.”
The RHCC delegation also included Past District Governors of Rotary International District 9142, Sam Uko and Akan Emah, other past District Governors Elvis Chukwu, Ify Ejezie, District Governor Nominee Segun Tijani , Rotarians Ekemini Ukim ; the President of the Rotary Club of Uyo Diamond and Joel Archibong, among others.
