…to provide TB LAMPS, renovate 10 existing diagnostic centres, purchase laboratory reagents, and dignity kits under partnership
Olushola Okunlade Writes
The Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) – the brainchild of Industrialist, philanthropist, and founder of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, has partnered with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) with a donation of USD$500,000 as part of efforts to curb tuberculosis (TB) and HIV in Nigeria.
This donation will be drawn from the Annual ASR Africa Fund for Social Development and Renewal.
Presenting the donation award letter at a ceremony in Abuja, Ubon Udoh, Managing Director of ASR Africa, reiterated that ASR Africa is committed to the development of Nigeria’s healthcare sector stating that the end-to-end diagnosis to treatment partnership with USAID will provide additional capacity and expand ongoing efforts aimed at tackling tuberculosis and HIV across Nigeria. This will include the provision of 11 loop-mediated isothermal amplification diagnostic machines, also known as TB-LAMPs, laboratory reagents, and consumables, as well as 1,200 dignity kits for survivors of gender-based violence across selected states in Nigeria. In addition, about 10 Tuberculosis Directly Observed Therapy (DOT centers) will be renovated across the country. These TB-LAMP diagnostic machines will enable 11 facilities to effectively diagnose TB, which continues to be a challenge in under-resourced health facilities across Nigeria from where those diagnosed will be placed on treatment at the TB DOT centers to be renovated by ASR Africa.
Speaking on the partnership, Abdul Samad Rabiu, founder of the Abdul Samad Rabiu Initiative for Africa (ASR Africa) said “We are pleased to partner with USAID on tuberculosis and HIV control in Nigeria. ASR Africa will continue to invest its resources toward tackling pressing developmental issues in health, education, and social development across Africa in line with its mandate. ASR Africa’s contribution of dignity kits will also strengthen services for survivors of gender-based violence, including medical and psycho-social services at Sexual Assault Rescue Centers, also known as SARCs, that are supported through USAID’s President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program”.
On her part, Anne Patterson, the Mission Director, USAID Nigeria represented by Rachel Goldstein – USAID Office Director for HIV & Tuberculosis, thanked Abdul Samad Rabiu, Executive Chairman of BUA Group and Founder of ASR Africa for invigorating the fight against Tuberculosis and HIV in the country adding that the partnership with ASR Africa Initiative will provide critical support to reducing the burden of the disease and ensure a better quality of life for those affected.
USAID has partnered with the government of Nigeria on the tuberculosis response since 2000, and the HIV response since 2003. This has contributed to a reduction in tuberculosis-related deaths, by nearly 50 percent. Through PEPFAR, USAID is providing comprehensive life–saving HIV treatment services for over 663,000 people and procuring and delivering medicines for over 1.9 million Nigerians on antiretroviral treatment.
Know More About ASR Africa: The brainchild of African Industrialist, Philanthropist, and Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) was established in 2021 to provide sustainable, impact-based homegrown solutions to developmental issues affecting health, Education and Social Development within Africa.
…”Access to quality healthcare should be a basic human right,” – Alakija
Olushola Okunlade Writes
The Rose of Sharon Foundation (ROSF), in partnership with CHECK Medicals, a healthcare organization with skilled medical personnel and facilities, recently held its bi-annual healthcare program for widows, their children, and orphans.
The program which was designed to provide sustainable physical, mental, and emotional health care catered to the overall well-being of over 300 beneficiaries and contributed to their improved health standards and quality of life.
The services offered during the program were General Consultation/Treatment, Eye care with the Provision of Eyeglasses, Dental Care, Laboratory tests (Blood and Urine), Physiotherapy Services, Medications Dispensary, Screening for Surgeries, Cancer Screening, and Trauma Management.
“Access to quality healthcare should be a basic human right,” said Apostle Folorunso Alakija, Nigerian businesswoman and founder of the Rose of Sharon Foundation. “In keeping with God’s divine mandate to cater to widows, the foundation remains committed to making a difference in the lives of widows, their children, and orphans by providing them with essential healthcare services.”
Dr. Bowei, the Country Manager for the Foundation, added: “Like most of our initiatives, we recognize that a program on healthcare is vital for curbing the health challenges and trauma experienced by widows, their children, and orphans as a result of the cultural mistreatment faced by this marginalized group in Nigeria. That is why the Foundation is offering a comprehensive healthcare service within the first quarter of the year to ensure that our beneficiaries receive the care and support they need for a healthy and fulfilling life.
As usual, we encourage well-meaning Nigerians to continue to partner with us to provide other services, as we work together to create a brighter future for widows, their children, and orphans.”
Know More About Rose of Sharon Foundation: The Rose of Sharon Foundation (ROSF) is a registered non-profit, faith-based, non-governmental organization focused on alleviating the plight of widows, their children, and orphans, through programs that guarantee financial independence and educational opportunities, and assure greater self-esteem and ease of socioeconomic integration.
Since its inception, the RoSF has directly impacted the lives of over 4,262 widows through vocational training, interest-free loans, residential/business accommodation, access to medical care, and educational scholarships to over 1,971 widows’ children and 322 orphans. This makes it one of the few NGOs in the country to provide widows with this level of assistance.
Widows & Orphans Healthcare Program: The widows and orphans healthcare program is a structured bi-annual healthcare program for widows, children, and orphans. We offer free essential medical services in partnership with healthcare organizations. The program includes consultations, treatments, drugs, lab tests, eye care, dental care, physiotherapy, surgery screenings, cancer screenings, and trauma management to ensure the physical, mental, and emotional health of our beneficiaries and enhance their quality of life.
More information is available at www.theroseofsharonfoundation.org or Follow the Rose of Sharon Foundation on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube
Access Bank W Initiative is hosting the first webinar of the year 2023 to celebrate February as the season of Love by showing love to parents of children with special needs.
Children, like all humans, have a natural need to love and be loved. Hand in Hand’s approach helps parents of children with special needs, from a wide range of communities to build or strengthen the all-important parent-child connection.
This webinar will showcase a solid parent-child connection that builds children’s social, emotional, and cognitive functioning. By supporting parents emotionally and providing practical tools for the emotional support of children, W Initiative will help parents strengthen their parent-child connection.
The Webinar will address how parents can follow an approach that will enhance their children to make smarter choices, not out of fear of punishment, but because they are less stressed, more connected, and attuned. Their children also build confidence in themselves, which allows them to act from their own values and not those of their peers.
The challenge of strengthening families and reducing family stress is real. And so is the solution, and W Initiative has taken up to address.
The webinar tagged “LOVE BEYOND EROS!” will hold on February 23, 2023, on Thursday, 23rd February 2023 by 4:00 pm (GMT+1) via Zoom.
Access Bank women’s wing said: “For our first webinar this year, the W Initiative presents the topic “Love Beyond Eros” where we will have heart-to-heart conversations with our distinguished speakers to bring a fresh perspective on how to better understand and show love to parents of children with special needs.
Written by Olushola Okunlade and Moninuola Sulaiman
Sara by Wema Bank will on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, hold Let’s Talk Sex, Love, and Productivity on Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day is considered the most romantic day of the year. So it is not merely coincidental that the week surrounding Valentine’s Day is promoted by corporate organisations.
These are a few things you need to consider before you partake in a lover’s spree this Valentine’s Day, as it is very common for lovers to get ‘reckless’ and ‘adventurous’ during this period.
Speakers at the webinar will address discussion to make sure participants’ Sex, Love, and Productivity are not in any form of danger.
Sara is a female proposition by Wema Bank Plc. It is a platform that seeks to provide women with solutions that help them participate in, wholly contribute to, and fully benefit from the growth opportunities available in Society.
Sara by Wema Bank is for every woman: young female professional adult, irrespective of her class or socio-economic status. It is a proposition designed with the sole purpose of improving the financial, economic, health, and social life of women.
The Sara proposition will be of invaluable benefit to women from different walks of life and backgrounds. As part of the efforts by SARA by Wema Bank to build its community for supporting women, Wema Bank is a signatory to United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEP). We are committed to making a difference for gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace, and community.