Guardian

…Motivated by wife of member who survived robbery attack

Y’s Men International, a voluntary organisation affiliated to the Young Men Christian Association (YMCA) has donated specific hospital equipment to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH), Ikeja, Lagos to help the hospital put smiles on the faces of patients at its Burns and     Plastics Unit.

The donation was initiated by Mrs. Delphine Adenike, immediate past Club President of Y’s Men, Ikeja whose husband, Mr. Sunny Jegede, also a member of the Club was fatally shot by armed robbers about 18 months ago at Mowe, a fast growing town between Lagos and Ogun State.

The fatal shots almost shattered the left hand of Mr. Jegede, who sadly, lost his brother he wanted to drop at home in Mowe while they were returning from Ilesa, Osun State.

Mrs. Jegede said at the donation ceremony that she initiated the move to donate the equipment as the Club President of Y’s Men International during her tenure in appreciation of what God has done to save her husband whose body was rained with bullet by the bandits.

The equipment donated to the Burns and Plastics Ward of the teaching hospital were: 10 hospital beds, two bundles of bed sheets each containing 10 sheets, two wheel chairs, several bundles of cotton wools, sterilisers, Sunction machine and sanitary items among others.

During the donation, Mrs. Jegede said she hoped the equipment will be beneficial to the patients of the ward now and for a while to come adding that the Y’s Men International, formed in 1922 in Toledo, USA as a movement to support the growth of YMCA has been striving through the years to make the world a better place.

Few of the activities of the club in Lagos includes: Construction and donation of two units of three bedrooms at Amuwo Odofin, Lagos to the Spinal Cord Injuries Association of Nigeria (SCIAN), installation of water boreholes and provision of consumables and cash to Homes and Orphanages, and the sponsorship of a blind student through the graduation in the university.

Mrs. Jegede narrated the harrowing experiences to The Guardian when her husband was admitted to Bola Tinubu Ward after the robbery attack.

“I was highly impressed and amazed by the way the consultant surgeons, doctors, nurses and everyone attended to my husband and other patients during the two months that I stayed with him in the hospital. I made the donation of the equipment my project as Y’s Men International Club President to show our gratitude.”

Professor D.A.A Oke, Consultant Cardiologist and Chief Medical Director of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital said the management was delighted that Y’s Men International deemed it fit to donate such valuable equipment that are regularly required and used in the treatment of patients in the hospital.

Professor Oke said the country needs more voluntary organisations to emulate the kind gesture of Y’s Men International.

“What you have donated today is what we need for the day-to-day management of patients,” he added.

The Chief Medical Director expressed his pleasure for the organisation. “You have in no small way done great deed to us. Some of the machines like the Sunction Machine will save a lot of lives. The dresses will prevent people from getting infected. I am quite pleased that your donation is specific. The Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) now has a Burns and Trauma Unit at Gbagada. LASUTH has been charged with the responsibility of ensuring the unit at the Gbagada Hospital is running.” He added that the LASUTH spends almost one million naira monthly on free health.

Present at the event were management officers of the hospital including Dr. Ayoade Adedokun, Director of Clinical Services and Training, Mrs. Kudirat Lawal, Director of Accounts, Mrs. Olajumoke Akinlawon, Director Hospital Administration and Mrs. Modupe Sode, Chief Nursing Officer (Appex). Members of Y’s Men International present were Mr. Sunny Jegede, who survived the robbery attack, Otunba Femi Oduntan, immediate past Area President for Africa, Pa. Sola Adubifa, Pa James Oguntoye, Mr. Segun Oduwole, Past Club President, Mrs. Clara Adetuyi, Mrs. Esther   Ajomale, Mr. Adebanji Oluniyi, Secretary, and Mr. Tunji Makinde.