By Divine Sam
Mokola Lions Club organized an awareness and advocacy campaign to residents of Ago Tapa community in mokola, Ibadan, Oyo State, as part of the events to commemorate the 2023 World Diabetes Day.
The theme of the year’s awareness campaign ” empowering global health”
The event took place on Tuesday 28th November 2023 at Ago Tapa primary health Centre few meters away from mokola roundabout Roundabout in ibadan attracted vulnerable people and others suffering from diabetes to receive free medical services.
The event was organized by mokola Lions Club in association with Hilltop Lions club and ibadan mokola new heritage Lions club.
There was a walk for diabetes, talk on diabetes and its management and advisory services at the event. The turnout was large and participants had their blood levels checked and those that further needed help were given drugs and possible references
Speaking at the event, the region 9 Chairperson for World diabetics day Lion Akintunde Anthony Olutayo, said that the event was organized to give diabetes education to the residence of the community and its environs.
Lion Anthony said “this is not the first time Lion club is doing this kind of event in this community, we have done borehole projects in this same community, during the awareness campaign on sight we were also here years ago, we distributed Eye glasses and do other sensitisation activities”
“Lion club is about service to humanity, like this year we are coming to the community to enlighten them the preventive measures to abort sugar levels because prevention is better than cured” this is a little way of giving back to the community as an NGO, if other organisations can join the Lion’s club to render this kind of assistant believe me the world will be a better place”
Speaking the guest lecturer on the possible ways to prevent higher sugar level Lion Dr. Bimbo Ojediran described diabetes as a silent killer and common in Nigeria, adding that there is need for Nigerians to go for checkups on a regular basis in order to know their status.
Dr. Bimbo added that many people in the area do not know their health status, hence the need to take the awareness campaign to the area.
He commended the people of Ago Tapa for coming out in large number and taking advantage of the awareness to check their health status.
Also Lion Adekunle Durodola, NLCF made it known that there are many people in the community ,who suffer from diabetes and related diseases, adding that the club wanted to create awareness on the disease. He posited that diabetes has no symptoms and stressed the need for regular checkups. (Watch him speak on the video)
Speaking with Newsieevents one of the beneficiaries who gave his name as Tajudeen Asiwaju said he was impressed by the number of people who attended the event, adding that a medical team offered advice to the residents.
According to him, “It is important to know your health status at every point in time. This will help you to manage situations as they arise as early detection and treatment of diseases is key to a healthy life. As soon as you are 30 years old, it becomes important to do check-ups on a regular basis because this is important to avoid medical complications.” that’s why I decided to come with my wife, I want to deeply appreciate Lions club for bringing this kind of health awareness campaign to Ago Tapa Community.
In his remarks the region 9 Chairperson Lion Engr Sola Adeola, NLCF said that the club realized its objectives going by the huge number of people who checked their status at the event.
He said Lion club is committed to humanity, that’s why we are working on our core Mandate, like next month will be feeding programme were we will visit many orphanage homes to share with them in the love of the season. The club has done noble, coupled of months ago is was campaign on childhood cancer, followed by sight preservation and this month we are dealing with diabetes, so there are a whole lot of benefits done to many people in various communities.
The region 9 Chairperson Lion Engr Sola, used the medium to invite members of the community to join the club in helping humanity.
The awareness campaign on diabetic feature free medical treatment on the participants, lectures, and others awareness campaign activities by members of the club to educated the community and it environs the need to prevent high level of sugar in their daily consumptions.