Rotary, Medplus Conducts Medical Outreach in Suleja Custodial Centre – Plans the release of inmates.

By Linda Ike

The Rotary Cub of Abuja City, District 9225 said it is making plans to facilitate the release of inmates who are in prison for bail-able offences.

President of the Club, Abuja City Mr. Austin Edowaye stated this on Saturday during the visit to Suleja Custodian Centre for medical outreach and donations of drugs, sanitary pads to inmates.

He said the visit is in the spirit to commemorate the 2022 United Nations World Charity Day which comes up every September 5 to celebrate the death anniversary of Mother Teresa as chosen by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012

Presenting the drugs and other items to the Suleja Custodian Centre, Mr. Edowaye said the Club has decided to pay attention to the female inmates especially as organisations visit the Kuje Correctional Centre more.

Mr. Edowaye said this outreach which is in collaboration with Medplus Pharmacy
covers one of Rotary International six Area of focus- disease prevention and treatment.

He said: “We are doing this just to commemorate the United Nations world charity day which is on 5th September. We are here today being Saturday because Monday is a working day and we will not be able to come.

“Most time, people focus on Kuje prison alone, that’s why we said we should visit the suleja Custodian Centre and we are happy about how we are received”.

Responding, the Assistant Controller of Corrections, Ali Dayyabu Ali, commended Rotary International for the visits and donations.

Ali siad, “Because you see the Custodian Centres cannot do without NGOs not even in Nigeria, anywhere throughout the world, NGOs contribute a lot talkmore of you the Rotary Club who are more international than other NGOs.

“I am happy to welcome you to Suleja Custodian Centre. As you have said earlier,. you made your contributions to Kuje prison almost everytime but I know when you talk of women, this is where the women are accommodated. So anything that comes up for women in the FCT command, this is the Centre.

“We are happy to receive you and I am sure this is not the first time of receiving your organisation here. Last year I received your Organisatíon, we are happy the way you come to present your gifts.

“I thank you and express out gratitude to the entire members of rotary club and this is not the beginning and it is not the end because it is a continuous process”.

Ali disclosed that currently the Correctional Center has 411 male and 53 female inmates, stating that majority of them are unconvicted.

He further explained that there are 3 aspects of programmes in the centre which include religion, vocational and educational.

Ali added, “Religion is the backbone of correction, if someone believes definitely whatever you teach them passing through the religion, they will accept. The two.major religions have their leaders Imam and Pastor, general and each cell has both too. And every Sunday, we have churches that come to preach and we have timetable that we follow daily for both religion.

“The second aspect is vocational and educational training. Indeed those who come in here with secondary school certificate, even if they did not pass their exams they apply here, we register them for either NECO or WAEC. If they pass their exams with credit then they seek for admission to open university. In that they register them to open university and they start their undergraduate courses on different discipline.

“So of they are able to get their degree and they want to further to Masters or PhD, they can do it here.

“So if person can stay here for his life time, he will continue with education. At the end when he attains his masters or PhD. Then we inform the Government and the Government will pardon him through perogative of amnesty, he will be pardoned and employed.

“Those who are not ready to study, we place them on vocational training, we have the tailoring workshop, shoe making, baking, pastry, bag making and so on”.

Earlier, the Regional Manager North Medplus, Mr. Ayodeji Adeyemo, said this is part of their Corporate Social Responsibility to provide quality healthcare to Community dwellers, disclosing that the Organisatíon has about 90 Outlets across the Country.

He said, “As part of our Corporate Social Responsibility, we felt that it will be good we partner with Rotary so that we can come over here. And of our widow’s might we will be doing this over time, last month we visited a village and we’ve been partnering with organisations”.

Tests were carried out for High Blood Pressure, Glucose, and drug were donated for malaria, BP, high sugar. common cold.
Sanitary pads were also distributed to the women.