Residents of Orile-Agege in Lagos have expressed excitement over free medical services provided by a non-governmental organisation, Refuge Network International, at the weekend.
The community health outreach, organised by the NGO, was marked by coordinated service delivery and wide community participation, with residents benefiting from a range of essential healthcare services and screenings.
Services provided during the exercise included health education, blood pressure and blood sugar checks, body mass index assessment, urinalysis, HIV testing, dental and optical screenings, physiotherapy and medical consultations. Free drugs were also distributed to participants.
In addition to medical services, beneficiaries received hygiene and body care items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorants, baby wipes, menstrual pads, mouthwash and body lotions.
One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Nurat Onopemikpo, commended the organisation for the comprehensive nature of the outreach, particularly the provision of free drugs and medical consultations, which she said eased the burden of healthcare costs for residents.
Other beneficiaries, including Mrs Omowumi Balogun and Mr Olabisi Segun, also expressed happiness and gratitude, describing the exercise as beneficial to the entire community. They encouraged the organisation to sustain the initiative and extend it to other communities.
The Baale of Orile-Agege, High Chief Simeon Olufunsho Itogbe, described the outreach as “very impressive”, praising the positive impact of the intervention on residents of the community.
Speaking on the initiative, Dr Seliatu Rhoda Ohimor, Co-Country Director of RNI Nigeria, emphasised the importance of grassroots health interventions in improving community health outcomes, noting that access to basic healthcare remains a major challenge in many communities.
Also speaking, the Co-Country Director of RNI, Mr Godfrey Ovie, underscored the organisation’s commitment to supporting primary healthcare at the grassroots.
“Your life is too small to be the only reason why you are existing, and healthcare is primary. So we go down to the grassroots to further support primary healthcare,” he said.
Mrs Fatimo Musibau, who coordinated the field operations for the outreach, noted the high level of community engagement and participation, describing the exercise as the most successful outreach conducted on the field.
She said the exercise underscored RNI’s commitment to delivering essential healthcare services, raising awareness about sustainable health practices and supporting vulnerable populations at the grassroots level.
According to her, through such interventions, the organisation continues to strengthen its mission of ensuring accessible and quality healthcare for all.
