A philanthropist, Sir Emeka Offor, has committed five million dollars to the Rotary Foundation to expand and strengthen initiatives aimed at reducing maternal and neonatal mortality in high-need areas in Nigeria.
Offor, in a statement on Thursday in Lagos, said the fund would be channelled to Rotary through the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation (SEOF).
Offor, founder of the SEOF and a member of the Rotary Club of Oraifite, District 9142, Nigeria, said, “Helping mothers and babies survive and thrive is among the greatest investments we can make in Nigeria’s future.
“We have seen a unique opportunity to build upon a Rotary-led programme to further turn the tide on maternal and child mortality by working together.
“This partnership marks a powerful step forward for the health and well-being of families across Nigeria,” he said.
According to him, Nigeria has some of the highest maternal and newborn mortality rates globally.
He emphasised that improving access to prenatal care and skilled deliveries in equipped facilities had proven to reduce the burden.
“Recognising this, the Rotary-led programme trains health workers, upgrades clinics, engages communities, and strengthens health data systems,” Offor said .
He disclosed that two years into implementation, supported facilities in four target regions had reported increased antenatal visits and reductions of 20 per cent in maternal deaths and 28 per cent in neonatal deaths.
Offor noted that the $5 million donation from SEOF reflects early successes and would help expand the programme’s reach.
Similarly, Mark Maloney, Chairman of the Trustees of The Rotary Foundation said, “This extraordinary commitment from the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation comes at a critical time in our member’s efforts to improve maternal and child health in Nigeria.
“We deeply appreciate Sir Emeka’s partnership and his strong belief in Rotary’s ability to reach even more communities and create lasting change for the health and wellbeing of families for generations to come, ‘ he said.
Maloney said Rotary’s ‘Together for Healthy Families in Nigeria’ programme was inaugurated by Rotary members in Nigeria and Germany, in partnership with the Rotary Action Group for Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health (RMCH).
Other partners include the Federal Ministry of Health and leading professional health associations.
He disclosed that it was the second programme to receive a Programmes of Scale grant from The Rotary Foundation in 2022.
The grant is an annual competitive process that awards $2 million to an evidence-based initiative driven by Rotary members with the capability to scale up to help more people.
Newsmen reports that Offor has donated over $3 million to The Rotary Foundation, supporting four of Rotary’s key areas of focus: peace and conflict management, maternal and child health, basic education and literacy, and polio eradication.
He has also contributed more than $4 million to polio eradication efforts in Nigeria, making him the largest individual donor to this cause on the African continent.