February 13, 2018

A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Prince Adebisi Yusuff, on Tuesday donated immunisation drugs for use of children in the state.

Yusuff, representing Alimosho Constituency I at the Assembly, donated 1, 200 bottles of chewable Albendazole (400MG) containing 1,000 tablets each.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a total of 1.2 million doses for children under age five were given to the Lagos State Ministry of Health.

The lawmaker, who made the donation through his Foundation – ‘Prince Hope Turns to Reality’ in collaboration with Vitamin Angels, a US-based organisation, said he was concerned about quality healthcare of the people.

Yusuff said children remain the hope of the society and their healthcare should be the priority of all.

“We should do everything for our children. This is the third edition of the donation and it is for the children of Lagos State.

“This is my area of interest; I am interested in the health of the people and this gesture will outlive me.

“It will be continued by my children in my memory after my exit from the world as my legacy.

“This is not about politicking; it is about passion for a healthy society. We must think of how to improve the health of our people.

“Drugs for pregnant women are coming. Last year, we carried out 400 major surgical operations free of charge and we shall do it again this year,” he said.

Yusuff, the Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts (Local), said that provision of standard healthcare services should not be left in the hands of the government alone.

The lawmaker, a former Chairman, Ipaja/Ayobo Local Council Development Area, said his commitment to quality healthcare delivery made him to establish Primary Health Centres (PHC) as a council boss.

According to him, the PHCs have now turned to mini-general hospitals.

He urged the ministry to make effective use of the drugs and give them to the expected beneficiaries, advising residents to take their health and that of their children very seriously.

Receiving the drugs, Dr Folashade Oludara, the Director, Family Health and Nutrition, Lagos State Ministry of Health, said the lawmaker’s intervention had assisted the state in its deworming exercise.

“This is not the first time the foundation of Prince Yusuff will be assisting children under age five. We appreciate this kind and philanthropic gesture.

“Every parent or care giver must ensure that her children complete various kinds of immunisation before they clock the age of one.

“All these vaccines are to guard against childhood killer diseases. We implement deworming exercise twice a year.

“If you deworm children, their body will be able to assimilate nutrients, they will grow better and they will be able to kick against all those childhood killer diseases,” Oludara said.

The director, who noted that deworming was very important and expensive, said each bottle of the Albendazole was not less than N8, 000.

She said that the state government was committed to reducing maternal and child mortality, assuring the people that the ministry would continue to support anybody who brings succour to the vulnerable.

Oludara said if other well-meaning Nigerians would toe the line of Yusuff, the healthcare system in the country would improve.

In his remarks, Mr Sulaiman Jelili, the Chairman of Ipaja/Ayobo Local Council Development Area, commended Yusuff for his belief in the people and their healthy living.

“It is uncommon to see lawmakers donating drugs worth millions of naira to cater for the immunisation of N600, 000 children.

“Hon. Bisi Yussuf has been affecting so many people, especially in the area of health, by bankrolling surgical operations and giving out free drugs,” the council chairman said.