Deekay Group of Companies, in partnership with the Aksara Foundation, has donated home appliances and educational essentials to Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) to tighten the gap of corporate social responsibility in private sector with sustained CSR impact to public institutions and vulnerable groups.
DEEKAY Group in collaboration with the private sector firm donated tubular batteries, inverter equipment, TV set, fridge and educational essentials to the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) Department of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos.
The intervention, according to the company, is aimed at improving the welfare and working environment of resident doctors who spend long hours at the hospital attending to patients.
Speaking during the presentation, representative of Deekay Group of Companies, Ejiofor Doris, said the donation was driven by the company’s commitment to identifying the urgent needs and responding to specific needs in communities and public institutions.
Ejiofor said the latest intervention formed part of the company’s longstanding Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, which has supported various sectors, including healthcare, education and community development.
She explained that the company’s approach was to first identify areas of need, provide appropriate assistance and subsequently monitor the impact of its interventions. “We assess, then we donate, and then we monitor,” she said.
According to her, the monitoring component of the programme was important because the company wanted to ensure that resources committed to CSR projects were properly utilized and that beneficiaries continued to derive value from them.
Ejiofor said the company, which was established in 1972, had maintained its CSR activities for several years, stressing that the programme predated her involvement with the organization.
She noted that the company had previously supported government schools through the provision of computers and other learning materials, while also offering scholarships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Beyond education, she said the company had supported vulnerable groups, communities where it operates and community policing initiatives, among other interventions.
She added that the company’s CSR investments over the years had amounted to millions of naira, although no cumulative figure was disclosed.
Ejiofor said the company was encouraged by the positive outcomes of its interventions, particularly when beneficiaries were able to improve their circumstances.
She cited students who had benefited from the company’s scholarship programmes and subsequently performed well academically as examples of the impact that sustained support could have.
On the LUTH intervention, she said it was the company’s first CSR initiative specifically targeted at the medical team, expressing the intention to sustain its engagement with the healthcare sector.
The donated appliances and electrical equipment are expected to provide basic conveniences in the call duty rooms used by resident doctors, who often remain in the hospital for extended periods while responding to patients’ needs.
Also speaking, Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, (LUTH), Prof. Oluwole Ayodeji, who represented the hospital, commended Deekay Group and the Aksara Foundation for the donation, saying government alone could not meet all the needs of public healthcare institutions.
Ayodeji said contributions from corporate organizations, religious bodies, non-governmental organizations, individuals and other stakeholders had played an important role in supporting LUTH and strengthening its capacity to provide healthcare services.
He described the donation as particularly relevant because the equipment would be used in call duty rooms where resident doctors spend long hours working.
According to him, providing a more comfortable environment for healthcare professionals could improve their morale and productivity.
“Motivation is a good thing. Motivation can be financial; it can be welfare. This is welfare,” he said.
Ayodeji explained that the appliances would enable doctors on call to enjoy basic conveniences, including warming their meals and using other facilities while carrying out their responsibilities.
He also highlighted the impact of philanthropy on the development of specialized facilities at LUTH, recalling a donation that contributed to the establishment of a renal facility with 32 dialysis beds, which he described as the highest number of dialysis beds in the country.
The professor urged Deekay Group to sustain its partnership with LUTH, stressing that the hospital remained open to collaborations capable of improving healthcare delivery.
“We appreciate every little token. It’s not only about giving; it’s about sharing ideas,” he said.
He assured the donors that the hospital would ensure the donated items were properly utilized for their intended purpose.
The intervention underscores the growing importance of private-sector partnerships in complementing government efforts to address infrastructure and welfare gaps in public institutions.
For LUTH, the donation represents another contribution towards improving the working conditions of resident doctors, while for Deekay Group and the Aksara Foundation, it reinforces their stated commitment to creating sustainable impact through targeted CSR initiatives.