By Seyi Odewale
The Rotary Club of Falomo, Lagos State, on Thursday donated 20 wheelchairs worth N3 million to the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos.
The move was aimed at improving patient mobility and supporting healthcare delivery at one of Nigeria’s leading specialist hospitals.
The donation, made under Rotary International’s humanitarian service initiatives, is expected to ease movement for patients undergoing treatment while complementing the hospital’s efforts to provide quality care.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, President of the Rotary Club of Falomo, Rotarian Ibrahim Sule, said the intervention reflected Rotary’s commitment to service above self and community development.
Represented by Rotarian Blessing Ofienbor, the President said the wheelchairs would help restore dignity, independence and hope to patients facing mobility challenges.
“This donation reflects Rotary’s commitment to service above self and our resolve to support institutions that provide critical services to society.
“These wheelchairs will help improve the lives of patients and ease their movement within and outside the hospital environment,” Sule said.
Receiving the items, the Head of Clinical Services at the National Orthopaedic Hospital and Consultant Orthopaedic and Stroke Trauma Surgeon, Dr. Francis Nwachukwu, commended the Rotary Club for its continued support to the institution.
“We thank the Rotary Club of Falomo in a very special way for all they have been doing for us in assisting us to care for the population we are here to serve,” he said.
Nwachukwu noted that partnerships between public institutions and private organisations had become increasingly important in addressing healthcare challenges.
“Being a government hospital, there are so many needs and the government obviously cannot cope alone. Even in the best societies, there is no way the government can cope alone with taking care of the health needs of the population,” he said.
The orthopaedic surgeon disclosed that the hospital was grappling with overwhelming patient traffic, resulting in long waiting periods for surgeries and specialist consultations.
“At the Trauma Unit, my operation list for surgery extends to about five or six months from now. If you go to the Spine Clinic now, the least appointment you may get is eight months,” he said.
He attributed part of the challenge to the migration of healthcare professionals abroad, popularly known as the “japa” syndrome, which has left many public hospitals struggling with shortages of doctors and nurses.
“We have few doctors as a result of the japa syndrome. We also have nurses who are leaving the system. The government has been trying over the years, but it is getting more challenging to get funds, even for things that have been budgeted for,” Nwachukwu added.
Assistant Governor of Rotary District 9112, Rotarian Orji Ajah, said the club identified the need for wheelchairs during its engagement with the hospital and decided to intervene as part of Rotary International’s focus on disease prevention and healthcare support.
Also, Chairperson of the club’s Service Project Committee, Rotarian Tokunbo Adefuye, explained that the donation formed part of a broader healthcare intervention programme.
He disclosed that Rotary Falomo recently donated 25 baby cots, mosquito nets and other items to Lagos Island Maternity Hospital and chose to spread its resources across multiple impactful projects.
The donation underscores the growing role of civic organisations in supporting Nigeria’s healthcare sector and providing relief to vulnerable patients amid increasing pressure on public health institutions
