Rivers
400 Persons Benefit From Rotary Club’s Free Medical Outreach
Over 400 persons suffering various health challenges in Rivers State and its environs have benefited from a one-day free medical outreach sponsored by Rotary Club of Port Harcourt, District 9141.
Speaking at the one-day free medical healthcare outreach health talk, healthy lifestyle and wellness symposium programme organised by Knight of St John International (KSJI), Ladies Auxiliary, Port Harcourt, and Rotary Club of Port Harcourt District 9141, the President, Rtn. Chika Ohagba, emphasized on the need for every Nigeriaian to cultivate the habit of regular medical checkup in other to know their health status.
Chika disclosed that the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt partnered with the KSJI to organise the one-day programme to encourage and support people to know about their health status, stressing that the essence of the programme was for people to come out, check and be acquinted with their health status.
According to him, the increase in sudden deaths in the society today is due to attacks, warrantjng the need for the partnership with the Knight of St John International to come together to organise the programme for people to check their health status.
“So, with the medical outreach, you would be able to check your Blood pressure (BP), high level of sugar, and we have a lot of professionals on ground to advise and administer medications.
“Also, with the health talk, people will know how to live a good life and also to live long on earth.
“I want to advise people to always go for their health check because it is very important. Checking your health status will not cost you more because if you know your health status you will not die early and sometimes you will cure it easily.
“So, my advice to every adult is to always go for their health status”, he stated.
Also speaking, the Coordinator of the programme, Rtn. Henry Sota, said there is a lot of illness that kill people silently and early, noting that proper measures needs to be taken to avoid those illness catching up late.
According to him, “cancer can be prevented if detected early, but the difference between advanced country and our country is that people leave illness to the last minute before going to hospital to seek for medical treatment”.
In an interview with newsmen, some beneficiaries of the free medical outreach commended the organizers of the programme and described it as a life saving one.
A Senior Lecturer at University of Port Harcourt, Dr. Peter Eremrena, expressed appreciation to both KSJI and the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt, District 9141, for organising the free medical outreach and health sypomsium.
He disclosed that he was able to discover that he has high BP through the medical checkup and drugs were given to him for free.
“So, I really want to thank them and I am greatful for the event today”, he said.
Also speaking, a petty trader in Port Harcourt, Ms. Chidima Abowa, while appreciating the sponsors of the event, said the free drugs given to her will go a long way to bring the desired cure for her illness.
The health outreach programme was organized by the Rotary Club as part of its social responsibility in ensuring that people live a healthy life through contributing to free access to health care facility and free medical education and awareness.
By: Akujobi Amadi, Kiadum Edookor
Continue Reading
Members of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, have been urged to work hard towards contributing to national development. This call was made at the recent induction of new members by the Port Harcourt branch of the Society. The induction ceremony was used to formally welcome new members and celebrate its elevated new fellows.
Speaking during the ceremony held a in Port Harcourt, the Branch Chairman, Engr. Idaeresoari Ateke Harriet, FNSE, called on members of the NSE to actively participate in the Society’s professional and technical activities in order to contribute meaningfully to national development. He congratulated the new inductees, describing their admission as a testament to their hard work and resilience.
Engr. Ateke also commended the new Fellows for their immense contributions to the engineering profession, reminding them that their elevation is a call to greater responsibility as mentors and role models.
The event featured a lecture by Engr. Prof. Steve Odi-Owei, FNSE, on “Opportunities and Challenges in Nigeria’s Blue Economy.” The Chairman noted that Nigeria’s maritime and aquatic resources remain largely untapped, adding that engineers have a crucial role to play in harnessing these resources for economic growth and environmental sustainability.
He thanked the first female President of NSE, Engr. Margaret Aina Oguntala, FNSE, other dignitaries, sponsors, and families of inductees for gracing the occasion.
Also, engineers, especially those in Rivers State have been advised to adhere strictly to the core ethics of the profession and to always uphold the professional ethics of the body.
This advice was given by an engineering expert, Basoene Benibo, in an interview with at the sidelines of the induction ceremony and Fellowship celebration of the Port Harcourt Branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.
Benibo stressed the need for young engineers in the state to learn and improve on their skills by tapping from the wealth of experience of older professionals in the field to enable them excel.
Benibo, who is a one-time Chairman of the Port Harcourt Chapter of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, also noted and hailed the efforts of the society in eliminating quackery in the engineering profession.
Some of the new fellows include Prof Jackson Akpa, Pereowei Jose’s and Telema Osima, while the inductees, Engr Mrs Lizzy Onwuso, Engr David Jonathan jnr and Worlu Emmanuel expressed joy in being found worthy to become full NSE members, believing that it would enable them have access to more knowledge, practice rightly and impact the society positively.
The President and Chairman of Council, Nigerian Library Association (NLA), Dr. Dominic Amenaghawon Omokaro, has expressed deep commitment to the advancement of education and literacy in Nigeria through the library system.
Speaking through his state Chairman Dr. Chidara Okachukwu Nyemezu, at the formal Launching/inauguration of the Vanguard for Library Visibility And Advocacy (VALVA) at Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Port Harcourt recently, Omokaro discribed the inauguration of the new body as a significant and passionate movement aimed at shining the spotlight on one of the underappreciated yet critical institution in Nigeria’s educational system and national development.
“We are gathered here not just to launch a group, but to launch a vision and ignite a movement to reinforce a mission to make libraries visible and valuable again for our people”, he said.
Dr. Omokaro stated that the birth of VALVA is based of the recognition that libraries, particularly school libraries, are the bedrock of promoting a reading and research culture that includes innovation and lifelong learning in the society, though the system is grossly underfunded and poorly equipped in many cases.
He recalled the theme of its first week under his watch, “Library System for National Development in 2022”, which he hinted was driven by the state chapters.
He explained that the inauguration of VALVA shows an important mission to promote the visibility and development with impact on schools and other libraries through strategic advocacy that will advance quality education and foster lifelong learning culture in Nigeria.
“The vision is clear to promote the visibility where every school and indeed every community will have access to a functional library managed by a professional Liberian”, he said.
Speaking with journalists at the sideline of the event, the founder of the VALVA, Dr. Juliet C. Akex-Nmec, stressed that no society can grow without a functional and effective library.
She urged government at all levels to ensure the establishment of effective and functional libraries across the country.
Dr. Alex-Nmec, who is also an Associate Professor of Library and Information Science, Rivers State University, called for the appointment of a Special Adviser on Library matters by the state government in order to assist the government on Library matters.
High point of the event was the formal inaugural of the new body and oath of offices to the new executive.
Akujobi Amadi
The Rivers State Judiciary has denied a media report claiming that Justice Frank Onyiri of the State High Court issued an injunction order restraining the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), from inaugurating the newly appointed members of the Rivers State Civil Service Commission (RSCSC).
In a statement issued by the Deputy Chief Registrar in charge of litigation at the High Court, Menenen Poromon (Esq), the state Judiciary disassociated itself from the report, describing it as malicious and fabricated.
The statement emphasized that the report was a falsehood and a misrepresentation of what transpeared in the court.
Poromon clarified that no such order was issued by Justice Onyiri or any other judge of the High Court of the state and urged the public to disregard the information, as it lacked any iota of truth.
The statement however advised the public to verify any information concerning the state Judiciary directly from the office of the Chief Registrar, High Court of the State, to avoid spreading of misinformation.