Japanese Embassy, Street2School Donate Health Centre To Lagos Community

The Embassy of Japan has teamed up with a nongovernmental organisation based in Lagos, Street To School Initiative, in the provision of a primary healthcare centre for residents of Surulere Community, Agbado/Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area.

The Lagos State Government has constructed a road linking communities to Oju-Ore, Ota, in Ogun State, under the Akinwunmi Ambode administration; while the Japanese Embassy had donated a healthcare centre to Ikola-Ilumo in 2018.

Wednesday’s inauguration of another healthcare centre in the LCDA is the embassy’s second in the communities a year apart.

The health centre was inaugurated on Wednesday by the Charge d’Affaires at the embassy of Japan, Mr. Takayuki Shinozowa, who flew in from Honolulu; assisted by other embassy officials.

Also, in attendance was founder, Street To School Initiative, Mrs. Oluwatosin Olowoyeye-Taiwo.

Others were: the representative of chairman, Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Eniola Erinosho; Chairman of Agbado/Oke-Odo LCDA, Dr. Arogundade Augustine; Baale of Oke Abiye Community, Nojeem Ajolojuota, among others.

In her speech, Mrs. Olowoyeye-Taiwo said her NGO became interested in the rehabilitation of the health centres in the communities because they serve the catchment areas where her pupils and their parents live.

She narrated how an indigent pupil in her tuition-free school, Mary, died because there was no healthcare to provide a much-needed treatment.

“On 20, February 2018, a sponsored child, Mary, died because she could not access healthcare in good time.

“By the time she was rushed to the hospital, there was no bed space. She was forced to return home, where she died the next day,” Olowoyeye-Taiwo said.

She stressed the importance of accessible, quality healthcare in rural communities, noting that a sick child cannot concentrate in school. “No child should die because he or she cannot access healthcare,” she said.

She disclosed that the renovation and equipping of the Surulere community’s healthcare facility was the second to be funded by the Japanese embassy, noting that the first PHC was sited in Ikola-Ilumo community in 2018.

She thanked the Embassy of Japan for their swift intervention, noting that it is a rare privilege which she and the community are not taking for granted.

Calling on the guests to give more to indigent communities, Olowoyeye-Taiwo enthused, “It is not a job for one; it is a responsibility for all. If we must grow as a nation, we must join hands actively, not passively.”

In his speech, Charge d’Affaires at the embassy of Japan, Mr. Takayuki Shinozowa, expressed his gratitude to the people of Nigeria and the implementing partner, Street To School Initiative, for giving his country the opportunity to improve the healthcare system of Nigeria.

He said that, over the years, Japan had built and maintained a consistent partnership with the Nigeria Government, especially in the area of improving and strengthening the healthcare sector.

According to him, other projects also funded by the Japanese Government in Nigeria are: polio eradication project; non-project grant aid for provision of Japanese SME’s products in 2014; project for strengthening pro-poor community health services in Lagos State in 2016; delivery of 43 ambulances to the Federal Ministry of Health, among others.

Shinozowa emphasised the place of viable PHCs in the Nigerian economy, describing it as “the foundation of healthcare delivery system.”

“If all primary healthcare centres are effective and accessible, most problems that would lead one to secondary healthcare institutions would be non-existent,” he said.

Continuing, Shinozowa said, “It is in recognition of this fact and considering the huge impact this project will have in this community and the neighbouring communities that my government decided to undertake it.

“This project is aimed at bringing inclusive basic healthcare to everyone in this community and neighbouring communities.

“By renovating this facility and providing a water purification system, solar power system, office furniture, hospital equipment and more, about 10,000 people from this community and the neighbouring communities are expected to benefit for this intervention project.”

Speaking on behalf of the Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Erinosho said the project was a valuable one that would assist the Lagos State Government in achieving the health components of SDGs.

He listed some of the services to be enjoyed free of charge at the newly renovated PHC to include delivery, birth registration and issuance of birth certificate, while he urged the people not to hesitate in reporting any abnormal development they notice in the PHC to the appropriate authorities.

Chairman of Agbado/Oke-Odo, Dr. Arogundade Augustine, while appreciating the Japanese government for their investment in the community’s healthcare system, assured that residents would put it to optimum use.

He advised them against tampering with the equipment. “This project is ours and should be well utilised,” he said.