Nigeria gets on to Rotary Showcase

The heroes get featured on Rotary Showcase. 
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“Mom, get me new shoes, now that I can walk”

As I ambled through the receovery ward of Federal Medical Centre in Keffi, where one of the two teams of India-Nigeria Rotary Polio Surgeries Mission, were operating, I heard a feeble voice of a song. Six years old Mariam Jibrin from Jigawa state, had just come out of the impact of anesthesia after the polio corrective surgery, and was singing a song in local Nigerian dialect... Read the full story  on eFlash Rotary More about India-Nigeria Rotary Polio Surgeries Mission Global Polio Eradication Initiative . 11 December 2012 Making it better Rotary International news . 13 December 2012 Indian Rotarians perform corrective surgeries in Nigeria Rotary Voices . 13 December 2012 Medical Mission delivers hope to Nigerian polio victims Rotary Voices . 21 December 2012 Polio surgery project extends service beyond borders

Indian Heroes Get World Media Attention

The accomplishments of Indian team of doctors on the India-Nigeria Rotary Polio Surgeries Mission has received tremendous media attention in India, Nigeria and world-wide.  

Nigerian National Television Authority had been regularly airing the progress of the Indian team of doctors as they operated upon polio-stricken children.  The print media continued to update their readers about the progress of the mission.

The impact of this work is tremendous in two counts; one, that the lives of 353 children have been changed drastically.  For they would at least be able to stand up with pride though with the help of calipers.  And two, the parents of these children have become the brand ambassadors for all those polio-endemic states in Nigeria where polio vaccine has been resisted, to persuade other families to keep their children protected against wild polio virus through immunisation.

I am giving below some of the significant online reporting published on Rotary International and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative blogs, lest you have missed them. 

Global Polio Eradication Initiative . 11 December 2012

Making it better

Rotary International news . 13 December 2012

Indian Rotarians perform corrective surgeries in Nigeria

Rotary Voices . 13 December 2012

Medical Mission delivers hope to Nigerian polio victims

Rotary Voices . 21 December 2012

Polio surgery project extends service beyond borders

Nigerian Health Minister joins Indian Doctors for Polio Surgeries

Nigeria's Honourable Federal Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu joined the team of Indian doctors working in Abuja, to conduct a polio corrective surgery on a six years old girl stricken with polio.  Abdurashid Ahmad from Zamfara state was being prepared for surgery by Dr. Amod when honorable minister arrived to join him in the operation theatre. 

Prof Chukwu is an orthopedic surgeon and a Rotarian, who considered it his duty to join his colleagues from India to underline his government's commitment and that of the Rotarians in the country to end polio from their country.  

This was a superb gesture on his part having kept his promise to the team of Indian doctors a day earlier during the grand reception he had hosted for us at Hotel Sheraton over dinner.  On being persuaded by Past Rotary International President Rajendra K. Saboo to join in the surgery being an accomplished orthopedic surgeon himself, he consented graciously. 

 "By next year we shall be able to stop the spread of wild polio virus in the country, and would be sending out our teams to jointly with Indian team of doctors to other countries to combat polio," he asserted thanking Rotarian doctors of India for joining in the cause.

Hon'ble Minister with PDG Dr. Deepak Purohit and Past Rotary International President Raja Saboo.  DG Girish Gune, the team leader, can be seen standing behind Dr Deepak Purohit. 

From a life of crawling to dignified posture

Are we doing enough? Enough for the people suffering from the most depressing condition of polio-affliction abounding in Nigeria?

These were the questions that the doctors were asking themselves. For long we had forgotten similar conditions that prevailed in our country earlier too but not to the extent that we were witnessing in Nigeria, that continues to real under wild polio virus transmission, and which has impacted the lives of many children in various nooks and corners of the country. 

The children were being carried along while adults crawled to reach the OPD.  But our team of doctors, determined to change their lives, went about their work till late after the formal flag off on 3rd December itself so that the patients could be prepared for the surgeries next morning. 

The teams are working today in two groups, both approximately 60kms apart in suburbs of Keffi and .  Gwagwalada that takes almost one-and-a-hour hour minimum to reach the destination.  A quick breakfast at the Hotel's restaurant - the base camp - at 7am every day, two coaches take the team of doctors to their respective destinations. 

The moment they get down, it is no less than a philharmonic orchestra at play.  Perfect team work, excellent coordination between the volunteers, anesthetists and orthopedicians, assisted by the local doctors and the nursing staff of the Federal Medical Hospital at Keffi and University of Abuja Teaching Hospital at Gwaagwalada, the Indian missionaries go about doling out their affection, care and concern on little children.
At times, no one is bothered about the time, the lunch or tea-break, or a little rest, touching on an average 50 surgeries and two-to-three times of procedures.
The task is monumental.  In a short span of 10 days not everyone can be reached. Yet the Federal  Ministry of Health of Nigeria had been grateful and is providing every support to identify children from various parts of their country and bring them to Abuja for the surgeries.  How many we can do is not the question.  How much difference to every single life that we are able to bring on the operation table is what matters. 

A hearty welcome to Indian heroes

Local doctors and Rotarians greeted the Indian team of doctors with great affection.

Past Rotary International President Rajendra K. Saboo later joined the team on the same evening having flown directly from Berlin after attending the peace conference there.

Members ready to go to one of the camp sites at University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, for the flag off ceremony.

Raja Saboo and Jonathan Majiyagbe, past Rotary International Presidents waiting for the arrival of the Hon'ble Minister.

Hon'ble Minister of Health, Prof. C.O. Onyebuchi Chukwu, a professor of surgery, a Rotarian and multiple Paul harris Fellow, was all commendation for the Indian team. He said that with the continued support from Rotary, and commitment of the Nigerian Government and active involvement of local Rotarians, Nigeria would write another new chapter of history by eradicating polio very soon.  "We have developed an Emergency Plan making  having seen the Indian success, and are making every stakeholder responsible for achieving this goal," he said. 

The inaugural saw the presence of high profile officials of the Nigerian government including Executive Director of National Primary Healthcare Development Agency Dr. Muhammad J.G. Ado, and other officials.
Also present was Chairman of Rotary International Nigerian National Polio Plus Committee Chair Busuyi Onabolu, DG Felix Obadan, amongst others.

The last four days from take off

The last five days had been very hectic and I sit today to review our journey and involvement as member of India-Nigeria Rotary Polio Surgeries medicare mission at Abuja, it appears so overwhelming.  Sitting here in Abuja, I am trying to recapitulate some of the highlights for our Rotarian friends who are following our posts, and of course, the family members of the team members.

On 1st December, the Team India flew into Mumbai and converged in a guest house for a preliminary briefing session.  PDG Dr Rajiv Pradhan and PDG Dr, Deepak Purohit provided an overview of the project, the challenges and the opportunities for the Indian doctors to prove themselves once again, as adaptive, resilient, and innovative, who are ready to perform in any work situation.

The meeting continued for over one and a half hour before everyone went ahead to have their dinner. It was 11pm, and despite repeated requests to take rest for a long day ahead, no one was really willing.

Early in the morning at 1am everyone was ready for action as truck containing the packages arrived.  No one was tired. No sleep in sight. Just last minute checks, jokes, and excitement.

We arrived at the International Airport at 2pm and each one, every doctor and volunteer, was holding on to the precious equipment and supplies and moved on to the baggage check. 

Dr. Amod and others waiting for their turn.  There were 64 pieces of cartons and the total load was 1135kgs.  Thanks to the very cooperative staff of Ethiopian airlines who patiently loaded the baggage with a smile. 

The doctors were not shy off personally unloading the material and putting it together at the Abuja airport. Local Rotarians also joined in especially the mission coordinator PDG Saliu Ahmad.  Seen in T-shirt is Indian team leader DG Dr. Girish Gune of D3131. 

Dr. Deepak Purohit being greated by a Health Ministry's official at the airport. 

It was gracious of Past Rotary International President Jonathan Majiyagbe and his wife Ade to wait outside the airport for nearly 2 hours as we got our baggage sorted out.

And as we boarded the coach, DG Felix A.E. Obadan, RI District 9125 reached the airport and greeted the team members. 

The Countdown Begins

The team of doctors from different parts of the country would be converging tomorrow at Mumbai by evening, and would be ready with their medical equipment and necessary supplies for Mission Nigeria: Rotary's India-Nigeria Polio Surgeries Medicare Mission.

The team would depart from Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport at 5:40am on Sunday, the 2nd December, on Ethiopian Airlines for a 10 hour flight with an hour-and-forty minutes stop over at Addis Ababa, before reaching Abuja.

The team's Nigerian contact mobile numbers are ready and those interested can download the same  by clicking here. 

I would be flying Indigo from Chandigarh tomorrow evening to Mumbai along with Rtn. Dr. Sunil Mehta and Rtn. Dr. S.K. Sablok.

Nigeria, we are coming.