Inaugurated on 1st of August in 2020, the Mahuemolen Aduke Odibo Foundation (MAOF) was set in the memory of Mahuemolen Aduke Odibo, who lost her life as a result of medical negligence and lack of appropriate emergency response within our healthcare system in Nigeria.
Born on the 27th of November 1994, in commemoration of her birth month, the foundation donates medical equipment needed for providing prompt emergency care across various institutions annually.
During past donations of MAOF branded Oxygen cylinders and apparatus to medical centres in and outside of Lagos, the Founder – Mrs. Cecilia Odibo – expressed her displeasure concerning the news of medical negligence making rounds on social media and putting more people’s lives in danger of poor medical attention. She then urged medical professionals to make positive changes within the health sphere.
This year, the foundation’s Corporate social responsibility (CSR) of donating medical items was geared towards providing first aid boxes with medical items to schools, churches and other public institutions. According to the Founder, “by freely distributing these items, we aim to guide against medical negligence in public places and avert untimely deaths, especially among the younger generation”.
Further explaining that, we are in a period that precedes the Christmas season, which is characterised with lots of celebration and activities among lots of people; causing children and adults to be in clustered places of crowd, where common accidents occur. Particularly, in homes, at schools, churches and even professional organisation. In the occurrence of any injurious incident, the first aid would be needed immediately and administered to prevent further harm, tetanus infections or medical complications, before going to hospital for adequate care.
Citing specific instances, she stated that, “…a simple fall in a school’s playground, not promptly attended to with first aids, could lead to worse and be dangerous outcome in the future. Likewise, simple cuts or injuries sustained in the church while praying or preparing for festive activities, could be complicated if not attended to immediately with a first aid”.
She also mentioned that corporate institutions (like the Chartered Institution of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), one of the beneficiaries of the first aid box donation by the foundation) that organises “end of year party” and “seminar session” need to be well equipped with first aid items. Hence, the presentation of these first aid boxes with disposable and non-disposable medical items – for temporal and permanent use – to the various beneficiaries.
So far, between the last week of November and first week of December, over 10 organisations have benefited from this CSR donation. And the MAOF pledges to continue with advocacy for transparency and accountability among healthcare providers and in healthcare management.
Editor’s note:
This report was collated by Medical Mirror Correspondent, Dr Mary O. Agoyi.
