By Solomon Mensah
Guided by the Rotary International 2023–24 theme, ‘Creating Hope in the World’, the Rotary E-Club of Ghana and the Rotary Club of Cape Coast Central orchestrated a profound display of their commitment to philanthropy and community development in December 2023. This collaboration unfolded through the donation of vital medical equipment and financial aid to pivotal institutions in Cape Coast.
Supported by the Hospital Infrastructure Group and the Ghana Red Cross Society, the collective effort materialised in the provision of nebulizers—an essential medical device for converting liquid medicine into a mist for inhalation—to the Cape Coast School for the Deaf and Blind and the Ghana National College.
These nebulizers serve as lifelines for students suffering from asthma, offering indispensable first-aid solutions, and mitigating potential health risks within the educational environment.
Acknowledging the transformative impact of this initiative, Mr Abraham Annan Yemoson, Headmaster of the Cape Coast School for the Deaf and Blind, expressed profound gratitude to the Rotary clubs for their commitment to advancing healthcare accessibility for the students, emphasizing its potential to prevent asthma-related fatalities among students.
His sentiments were echoed by Mr Joseph Ato Sarpong, Headmaster of the Ghana National College, who lauded the timely intervention and underscored the pivotal role of such donations, recognizing the significance in safeguarding the well-being of students, particularly as new students were set to arrive. The nebulizers, he emphasized, addressed a crucial need within the school community, especially in the girls’ dormitory.
The President of the Rotary E-Club of Ghana, Ms Efua Abasewah Dougan, an old girl of the college, passionately articulated the club’s commitment to serving communities and proactively addressing pressing health challenges. She emphasized that with the provision of the nebulizers, they aim to alleviate the plight of asthmatic students in the schools and prevent the potential disruption to their education.
Ms Dougan also expressed her hope that the demonstration by the Ghana Red Cross on the use of the nebulisers would empower students to quickly administer first aid support to their sick peers, especially at night when the campus nurses are not readily available, before they are transported to the hospital for further care.
In a gesture that exemplifies Rotary’s core ethos, the clubs extended their support to the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital by contributing GH¢ 10,300. This financial assistance went to the rescue of mothers who had been detained at the facility together with their newborn babies due to the inability to settle their hospital bills. The gesture which put smiles on the faces of the mothers, underscores the profound impact of Rotary’s intervention in alleviating their distress.
President Lawrencia Entsuah of the Rotary Club of Cape Coast Central revealed that approximately ten mothers benefited from the clubs’ humanitarian aid, including a 17-year-old mother of twins. She emphasized the dire circumstances faced by teenage mothers grappling with financial and maternal challenges and issued a poignant call to action, urging young girls to prioritize their education and eschew societal and peer pressures that contribute to teenage pregnancies.
The collective efforts of the Rotary E-Club of Ghana and its sister clubs epitomize a beacon of hope and solidarity in uplifting the marginalized and underserved segments of society. Their selfless dedication exemplifies Rotary’s enduring commitment to fostering positive change and spreading hope within communities.
It is only appropriate that we take a break from the hustle and bustle of life, to extend a heartfelt appreciation to the Rotary E-Club of Ghana and its esteemed collaborators for their exemplary contributionsto advancing the common good. Together, we stand poised to usher in a brighter, more equitable future for all.
>>>the writer is a freelance journalist
