The International Association of Lions Club, Abuja Mega Lions, District 404 A2, Nigeria said on Sunday that it would treat over 1000 mentally ill persons and transform more lives in Nigeria.
The club’s immediate past president, Mrs Anthonia Opusunju, said this at Fund Raising and investiture of Mr Samuel Egbuchiri, as the new club president and installation of new Board of Directors of the Club, at Abuja.
Opusunju, who was the pioneer president of the club, said the primary objective of the club was to bring succour to the needy, those with health challenges, and the uneducated in the country.
Opusunju said part of efforts to achieve these objectives was construction of projects in some parts of the country, medical outreaches and providing humanitarian services.
The outgoing president enumerated some achievements of the club during her tenure to include the renovation and furnishing of the Child/Adolescent Mental Building at Karu General Hospital, Abuja.
She said after the renovation and following the request of the Chief Psychiatric Consultant and the Medical Director of the hospital, the club engaged four medical personnel including two medical doctors.
She said that since the hospital started operation in May 2022, no fewer than 400 children with mental issues were treated.
She said the facility had also handled suicidal and drug addiction cases and expressed confidence that her successor would continue in the third phase of the project.
Opusunju said that the club also donated eyeglasses to about 200 beneficiaries in Opobo, and constructed Jetty Waiting hall in Epellema Town, Opobo Kingdom in Opobo/ Nkoro Local Government Area of Rivers state.
“The club has carried out free diabetes screening and testing at Karamajiji Colony of Disabled Persons, Abuja supported by the Lions Club International Foundation in 2021.
“We carried out campaign on drug abuse and addiction and sensitised youths, women, and children at the internally Displaced Persons Camp, Area 1, Abuja where over 200 families were fed.
“The club equally distributed relief food items to over 150 families of the Colony of Disabled Persons at Kalamajiji, Abuja,” she said.
In his acceptance speech, the new president, Egbuchiri promised to leverage on the existing achievements, especially the mental health facility at Karu General Hospital.
He said that already the club had treated 13 mentally ill patients while the target of his administration was to treat 1000 patients in the next eight months.
“A lot of Nigerian youths are on the streets with one form of challenge or the other. There is need to save them from destruction and return them to their God ordained destiny.
“We are doing all this not in expectation of rewards but to derive joy in the sense that smiles are being put back to the faces of the less privileged across Nigeria,” he said.
Egbuchiri, who said projects proposed by his administration for the needy would gulp N27 million, and expressed hope to get support from partners and donor agencies.
Earlier, the chairperson, investiture and fundraising committee and the club’s First Vice President, Folasade Olaifa, said the event was to inaugurate Ebguchiri as the club’s president for 2022/2023.
“Today’s event doubles as fundraising ceremony for the completion and furnishing of Child and Adolescent Mental Ward, Karu General Hospital, which hinges on the progressive development, in the persistent ‘Lionistic Spirit’ of continuity and excellence.
“We are grateful that this signature project is touching the lives of the young and vulnerable members of the society,” Olaifa said.
The Chairman of the occasion, Mr Isa Abubakar, who was represented by Mr Soji Olaitan, the Chairman of CMS Grammar School Old Boys Association, Bariga Lagos, commended the club for the good work it is doing.
He also commended the outgoing president for her numerous achievements and wished the incoming president a successful tenure.
Highlight of the event was the clinking of the bell signaling the investiture of the new president and cutting of the investiture cake.
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