BENIN CITY- The Executive Director of Lift Above Poverty Organisation (LAPO), Sabina Idowu-Osehobo has canvassed for gender equality and improvement in the socio-economic conditions of women towards combating poverty in Nigeria.
Addressing senior managers while reviewing the 2015 first quarter performance of the organization, she stated that gender equality is an elixir for economic growth, poverty reduction and health status improvement in the society.
Idowu-Osehobo insisted that inequality and empowerment issues cannot be adequately addressed where only half of the population is positively and actively engaged.
She said the organisation empowered 72,499 women and other vulnerable people with health and social information as well as screened them for various ailments during the period.
Idowu-Osehobo contended that poverty is not just the lack of funds but more fundamentally an issue of social exclusion and lack of access to life transforming opportunities, stressing that social empowerment have always been an integral part of LAPO’s poverty reduction strategy from the very beginning.
She enumerated ill-health, sanitation, poor nutrition, gender inequity and social exclusion among issues addressed by LAPO in target communities across the country.
Tropical Disease Control: LAPO Creates Awareness, Screens 40,866 Beneficiaries
LAPO Health Manager, Ayobami Honestus Obadiora has advised members of the public to adopt preventive health care practices towards mitigating incidence of common diseases.
Speaking recently at a community awareness programme, he said early detection of adverse health conditions can be life-saving, adding that “the earlier a health-care provider is able to diagnose a health condition, the better the likelihood of a successful treatment.”
Obadiora expressed LAPO‘s commitment to the prevention and management of tropical diseases, adding that it screened 40,866 beneficiaries for common diseases between January and March, 2015.
He highlighted significant reduction in self medication and other forms of drug misuse amongst LAPO’s achievements, noting that rural dwellers were more vulnerable to diseases due to ignorance and unhealthy living practices.
World Malaria Day: LAPO Intensifies Awareness Creation, Screening Services
LAPO has intensified malaria awareness campaign and screening services in target communities across the country towards mitigating the impact and spread of the disease.
The Executive Director, Sabina Idowu-Osehobo disclosed this during its 2015 World Malaria Day celebration held nationwide under the theme, “Invest In the Future: Defeat Malaria.”
She noted that the organisations’ malaria intervention programme has saved the lives of beneficiaries, reduced school absenteeism, alleviated poverty as well as improved maternal and child health.
Idowu-Osehobo expressed worry that malaria is still a leading cause of death of childen and pregnant women and a primary cause of miscarriages, maternal anaemia, low birth weight, abortion and still births in the country despite efforts by government and Roll Back Malaria Partners to combat it.
She said Nigeria might be unable to attain the 75% malaria reduction target and deaths by end of 2015 and therefore called on countries and stakeholders to target resources at people and groups with the highest risk as the world awaits the development of a malaria vaccine.
In her lecture on behalf of Dr. Omokhoa Adeleye of the University of Benin, Dr. Otas Obarisiagbon said clean environment remained the best safeguard against malaria and advised patients against self-medication due to the danger inherent in such practice.
Highpoint of the occasion was the distribution of Long Lasting Insecticide-treated bed nets and enlightenment materials to participants as well as free screening for malaria.