BY JUMOKE OWOOLA
Malta Guinness as part of its Corporate Social responsibility (CSR) gave maximum support to the organisers of the 2017 Endometriosis awareness Campaign. They were conspicuously present at both the Walk and the Dinner /Award ceremonies respectively.
Meanwhile, the Ajayi-led Nordica Fertility Centre in collaboration with Endometriosis Society (Nigeria) concluded 2017 Endometriosis Awareness Week with Physician Roundtable session and a dinner ball cum fund raising activities at the Civic Centre, Lagos respectively, with total aim of creating awareness on the ailment as well as the need to raise fund for it at an event tagged “a Touch of Yellow” ball which was attended by the crème-de-la-crème in the society.
The roundtable session started with a welcome address by the founder and president of Nordica Fertility Centre, Dr. Abayomi Ajayi. In his speech, Ajayi revealed that the major issue is to create proper awareness on the Endometriosis and how to reduce the burden it has on the victims, and to guide all on the signs and how to combat it very early.
"Our aim is to create awareness to all irrespective of the state. It is awareness is still new in Nigeria, though we have been doing this for good 12 years.
“This year, the theme is focusing on Endometriosis in Adults. We are not leaving any stone untouched as we have learnt that it affect young ones too. We were at some Secondary schools here in Lagos, and we were surprised that those young girls have it after conducting medical test on them.
“We need to work faster and harder. The walks in both Abuja and Lagos were successful. And we were happy that many people are getting informed and involved. Before now, many people cannot call the word ‘Endometriosis’, not to talk of knowing about it, but I am happy that people can now pronounced it effectively as far back as Onitsha,” Ajayi revealed at the Physicians Roundtable lecture.
The 2017 Physician Roundtable session had as the guest speaker, Dr. Robert Zurawin, an Associate Professor in the division of Gynaecology at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas. He spoke to the practitioners on the theme ‘ENDOMETRIS IN ADOLESCENTS': The etiologies, diagnosis and treatment options of adolescent endometriosis ‘. He made audience realized that it is a severe condition that deserves attention.
There was an emotional moment; this was when the first IVF baby from the Nordica Fertility Centre, Julian Onwudinjo, in a video-message greeted Dr. Abayomi Ajayi and jokingly requested for his own birthday cake. And this put to test the notion that test tube babies are morons. The boy also sent a wristwatch to Ajayi as a birthday gift.
A week later at the ball, Oba Saheed Ademola, Elegushi Kusenla III, was the Royal father of the day, the Minister for Health, Prof. Isaac Adenola was the special guest of honour. Lagos state First lady sent in her representative.
Journalists who have promoted the total awareness on Endometriosis were honoured from the print, electronic and online sections respectively.
Three schools that came top at the 1st Annual ESLN Secondary school essay competition were given awards too.
The dinner, fund raising ceremony ended up with a fashion shows. Lots of fun serenades the occasion with cool music.
Guinness Nigeria PLC flooded the arena with their products which guests relish with joy amidst other drinks provided by the organisers.
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