The Lumine News

Tag: #Linda Ayade

  • 2020 World Sickle Cell Day: Linda Ayade Calls on Warriors To Look On The Grand Side Of Life, Supports Them With Palliatives

    2020 World Sickle Cell Day: Linda Ayade Calls on Warriors To Look On The Grand Side Of Life, Supports Them With Palliatives

    By Elijah Ugani – Calabar

    The wife of the Executive Governor of Cross River State Dr Linda Ayade has called on Sickle Cell warriors to always look on the grand side of life, see themselves as Angels sent down from heaven to proffer solutions to mankind.

    Ayade was represented by the State Commissioner for Health Dr Betta Edu, made the call while declaring open the 2020 World sickel Cell day at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital UCTH, further to call on the legislative arm of Government to pass laws that will protect the rights of people living with sickle cells.

    Ayade further called all stakeholders across the Country and the World to support people living with sickle cells disease as burden of care is usually heavy for most families .

    “At a trying time like this where the entire World is going through unimaginable challenges and the difficulties of being confined due to COVID-19, the Economy is dwindling, Health Sector worse hit by pandemic and rate of Job loss rising, one can only but imagine what families with sickle carriers and the carriers themselves are going through. I feel your pain and will support in my own little way to see smiles on your faces”.

    Her Excellency also promised that “the Cross River state Government will be putting up a Bill to the House of Assembly to ensure that you all have equal rights, opportunities and privileges just like every other person out there”

    Dr Linda advocated that “all Sickle Cell patients be made automatic beneficiaries of the State Health Insurance Scheme also known as “Ayadecare” without charges and has gone further to donate a truck load of assorted palliatives in commemoration of this day.”

    Dr Edu reiterated the willingness of the CRSG to always support persons living with sickle cells disease in all ramifications stating the dynamic and humane nature of Sen Prof Ben Ayade who doesn’t derive pleasure in seeing anyone suffer. She charged scientist to go into further research on ways to improve the living condition of Sickle Cell carriers, and pleaded with health workers to continue care on carriers as some symptoms of sickle cell disease could be easily mistaken for COVID 19.

    Sickle Cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that makes the red blood cells assume a sickle shape thereby leading to blocking of blood flow, destruction of blood cells and inability to get oxygen to all parts of the body leading to pains, anaemia, that is shortage of blood blood and infections among others.

    Apart from medical challenges affecting the patients, they are also faced with socioeconomic concerns in areas like schooling, employment opportunities, relationships/marriages as well as high level of stigmatization.

    The theme for this years commemoration is ‘Keeping Hope Alive in Civic-19 Outbreak’.

    The United Nations declared June 19th every year to mark Sickle Cell day.

    Present at the event were Prof Merimeku; chairman of event, Prof Ikpeme, CMD UCTH represented by Prof Ngim, Dr Enyiama, Dr Ihenacho HOD Hematology UCTH and others.

  • Linda Ayade Calls On Stakeholders, Government And Care Givers To Set Mechanisms In Place To Reduce Sexual Violence Against Children

    Linda Ayade Calls On Stakeholders, Government And Care Givers To Set Mechanisms In Place To Reduce Sexual Violence Against Children

    By Elijah Ugani – Calabar

    The Wife of the cross river state governor who is also the President/Founder of Mediatrix Development Foundation, Dr. Linda Ayade has called on stakeholders, government, stakeholders and caregivers to set mechanisms in place to reduce sexual violence against children.

    Ayade made the call yesterday, 16th June, on her verified Facebook account, Linda Ayade on the 2020 commemoration of the African Child.

    “International Day of the African Child.

    “#16June
    On 16 June 1976 In Soweto, South Africa, thousands of black school children took to the streets to protest about the inferior quality of their education and to demand their right to be taught in their own language. Hundreds of them were shot down; and in the two weeks of protest that followed, more than a hundred people were killed and more than a thousand injured.

    “To honour their courage and in memory of those killed, in 1991 the Organisation of African Unity (now the African Union) established the #Day of the African Child. The Day also draws attention to the lives of African children today.

    “The theme for this year is #HumanitarianAction in Africa: Children’s Rights First.
    We have always celebrated this day with children drawn from our communities with sensitization programs, health talks, outdoor games etc but this is not possible this year with the COVID 19 pandemic on us.

    “Looking at this year’s event, we have been hit with several cases of child rape and the number is still on the rise which is saddening.

    “We call on stakeholders, government agencies, community leaders, care givers to set mechanisms in place to reduce sexual violence against children.

    “Parenting interventions and in-school Sexual violence prevention interventions are great ways to strengthen parenting skills as a way of reducing children’s risk to sexual violence to avoid potentially violent situations.

    “#ProtectTheChildItIsTheirRight
    #StopChildRape
    #StopTheViolenceAgainstChildren
    #Mediatrix”

  • Linda Ayade Vows That Retired Army Captain Who Raped 4-Year Old Minor Is Prosecuted

    Linda Ayade Vows That Retired Army Captain Who Raped 4-Year Old Minor Is Prosecuted

    BY Elijah Ugani – Calabar

    The wife of the governor of Cross River State and President/Founder of Mediatrix Development Foundation MDF, Dr. Linda Ayade has vowed to ensure that the Rtd. Captain Bassey Ikanem age 73 who raped a 4 years old minor is prosecuted in line with the provisions of the law.

    Ayade made this known through the Chief Operating Officer, COO, of her Mediatrix Development Foundation, Mr. Jeffrey Adamade, when he visited the Akim Police station to verify the information.

    The incident took place on the evening of 1st June 2020 at Big Qua Town, Calabar.

    The victim’s grand mother and the rapist are said to be first cousins, an affinity that is feared to be capable of compromising the case.

    According to the victim’s grand mother “the children are used to calling him grandpa and playing around him; he doesn’t joke with them, I don’t know what came over him. They were playing around and suddenly, when I came out of the house, I asked the mother, where is Xxx, and she said, they are playing around. I now sat down under the tree, shortly Xxx and the other little boy came out of his house and she was walking as if something was wrong with her, when I asked her what happened to her, she said grandpa put his finger into my boo boo. I was shocked.”

    “I observed her and noticed her pant was stained with blood and now raised alarm and involved the police”

    The IPO handling the matter Inspector Louisa Effanga stated that “the alleged rapist confessed to the crime. He said he was under the influence of alcohol, this he said before the Akim Divisional Police Officer, DPO. But later denied raping the child”

    Medical report sighted by MDF shows that the victim has some bruises on her private part.

    The file has been moved to the legal unit of the state police headquarters for onward persecution.

    Recall that the anti-rape crusader, Dr. Linda Ayade under her Mediatrix intervention has reached 10,000 persons with rights and justice awareness, has 5 rape cases under investigation, 2 rape cases prosecuted and the offenders cooling their feet at Afokang prison, 1 rape victim rehabilitated and reintegrated back to school with her school fees paid.

    The issue of rape over the years has been grossly under reported, you are encouraged to reach Mediatrix Development Foundation via: [email protected] or call Mediatrix Communication Assistant on 08121032474 in case of any rape case around you and be sure that the matter will be handled with the highest form of confidentiality.

  • Mediatrix Donates Relief Materials To UNHCR

    Mediatrix Donates Relief Materials To UNHCR

    By Elijah Ugani – Calabar

    A pet project of the wife of the Cross River State Governor, Dr. Linda Ayade, Mediatrix Development Foundation MDF, has taken a bold step to donate hand sanitizers to help contain the spread of corona virus and sanitary pads meant to aid the Cameroonian adolescent refugees maintain personal hygiene.

    Speaking during the presentation of the items at the Ogoja sub office, the Chief Operating Officer of MDF, Mr. Jeffrey Adamade, noted Mediatrix is committed to the welfare of the the people especially the vulnerable, and the reason the organization has decided to reach the refugees through the UN refugees agency, UNHCR.

    The COO stated that “This gesture is a deliberate effort of the President/Founder of MDF, Dr. Linda Ayade to mitigate the spread of corona virus among the Cameroonian refugees.

    “Let me also extend Her Excellency’s goodwill to UNHCR for the coordination of the refugees in Cross River State”

    Adamade who was represented by the Human Resource Officer, Doris Etta, use the opportunity to call on the refugees to maintain personal hygiene and social distancing, regular washing of hands, use of hand sanitizer and face mask as well as the stay at home policy.

    Responding on behalf of UNHCR, the Senior Health Associate, Dr. Ernest Ochang commended the gesture of Mediatrix to donate the items to support the fight against the virus.

    Ochang noted that “On behalf of UNHCR, Ogoja Field Office, I receive these items and will communicate same. May God continue to enrich you so that you will continue to do more especially for those that are in dare need of this benevolence”

    Items presented include 328 pieces of hand sanitizer and 627 pieces of sanitary pads.

    Mediatrix Development Foundation is the UNHCR implementing partner for Peaceful Coexistence of Refugees with host Communities/ Distribution of Core Relief Materials for 2020.

    In 2018 – 2019, Mediatrix was the Livelihood implementing partner and trained over 1500 Cameroonian Refugees and a few host community members on different skills aimed at making them self reliant, including adolescents who were trained on peer mentorship.