Airtel backs DRASA on healthcare interventions

The ‘Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh (DRASA) Health Trust’ is receiving tremendous support from telecoms company, Airtel Nigeria, who is fully engaged in plans to commemorate Nigeria’s first anniversary after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the country Ebola-free last year on October 20.

To mark the anniversary, DRASA Health Trust, a non-profit organisation formed in memory of the late doctor who risked her life to contain the first case of Ebola in Nigeria, has unveiled robust healthcare initiatives aimed at preventing future outbreak of infectious diseases in Nigeria.

At the event, which took place Lagos, DRASA Health Trust said the health programmes include the Outbreak Preparedness/Response, Simulation Training and #ItStartsWithMe campaign.

Speaking on the telco’s support to the Trust, Emeka Oparah, director, corporate communications and CSR, Airtel Nigeria, noted that Airtel Nigeria was committed to offering relief to Nigerians through its various CSR programmes, saying Airtel and DRASA were passionate about initiatives that would transform lives and empower more Nigerians.

According to Oparah, Airtel Nigeria, as a responsive organisation, gave its support to the government’s team last year by donating items towards the fight against Ebola virus.

“It is in the DNA of Airtel Nigeria to continuously strive to proffer solutions to alleviate difficulty or challenges and extend a helping hand to underprivileged people through its charity programs like the ‘Airtel Touching Lives program’, a revolutionary CSR initiative that has impacted on the lives of individuals, people and communities across Nigeria,” he said.

Commenting on the DRASA initiatives, Ama Adadevoh, a trustee member, noted that under the outbreak preparedness/response, the Trust will partner with relevant bodies to train 1000 experts across the country on the spectrum of outbreak response for Ebola and other infectious diseases, develop a university curriculum based  on the  EVD  Guide  and develop  a  digital  platform  of  the  EVD  Guide  for  further  dissemination.

“While under the Simulation Training, DRASA will champion medical simulation for students and  health  professionals  to fill a  critical  gap and build capacity  in medical  ethics  and  infectious  diseases,” she said.

Speaking further, she noted that both ethics and infectious diseases control are areas where there is limited expertise in Nigeria, however, Dr. Adadevoh exemplified the essence of an ethical medical practitioner when she contained an  infected  patient  at  personal  danger, making her truly  faithful  to  her  Hippocratic  Oath.”

The third part of the program is the #ItStartsWithMe Campaign held last week Thursday, October 15, to mark the Global Hand washing Day.

At the event, Yemi Osibanjo, vice president, was represented by Linus Awute, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, while Akinwunmi Ambode, Lagos State Governor, was represented by Femi Onanuga, Special Adviser to the Governor on Primary Healthcare. Airtel Nigeria’s team at the event included Adefemi Adeniran, Head, Public Relations, Tawa Bolarin, Director Enterprise, and Chinda Manjor, CSR Manager.

It would be recalled that last year, Nigerian government swiftly responded to the index case, which was recorded in July in Lagos, but it was successfully curbed and the WHO declared Nigeria Ebola-free on October 20.

Late Adadevoh courageously identified and contained the first case of Ebola in Nigeria. Her heroic efforts prevented an outbreak in Nigeria. DRASA was created in her honour to reflect her passion and continue her legacy of providing high-quality healthcare in Nigeria.