By Nse Anthony-Uko
(Sundiata Finance) – Lift Above Poverty Organization (LAPO) has empowered 793,957 women and other community members in target communities across the country with health and social services between January and July, 2017.
The Executive Director, LAPO, Sabina Idowu-Osehobo who stated this at a performance review meeting explained that 187,451 persons received direct services while others were reached through communication and enlightenment publications.
Idowu-Osehobo expressed LAPO’s commitment to building the capacity of women to dismantle structures and processes that encourage gender injustice and discrimination against women. She emphasized that economic, social and health empowerment services have always been an integral part of LAPO’s poverty reduction strategy, stressing that there can be no meaningful development without women empowerment and active participation in development.
Meanwhile, the firm has advised women and other members of the public to embrace preventive health care practices including regular medical check up towards mitigating incidence of tropical diseases.
Health manager, Ayobami Honestus Obadiora stated that early detection of health conditions can be life-saving, noting that many people have succumbed to preventable ailments due to ignorance and negligence.
Obadiora expressed LAPO‘s commitment to the prevention and management of tropical diseases, adding that the organization screened 93, 289 community members for common diseases between January and July, 2017. He said those with special cases were referred to health centres for treatment, noting that health counselling and testing have always been a major component of LAPO’s intervention programme.
Obadiora encouraged pregnant women to demand Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) of malaria twice during pregnancy and thrice in special cases as well as obtain free anti-malaria drugs and nets at designated public health facilities
