As demand for free medical services continues to grow among Nigeria’s underserved population, the Pistis Foundation has urged the government to support non-profit health initiatives nationwide.
The appeal came during a five-day free medical and surgical outreach, UBOMI 8.0, held in Lagos, where thousands of residents received treatment at the Pistis Annexe and Hospital for Trauma & Surgery (HTS) Clinics. The programme delivered 9,212 medical interventions to 3,667 beneficiaries, providing critical and life-saving care completely free of charge.
According to the foundation, this year’s outreaches have brought the total number of free medical interventions to 17,416, benefitting 5,635 underserved Nigerians, exceeding its target of 10,000 interventions for 5,000 people.
Head of Programmes and Partnerships Engagement at the Pistis Foundation, Mrs Lois Isemide, said the outreach marked the foundation’s third medical mission this year, following similar interventions in Abuja and at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos.
She noted that the UBOMI outreach covers both medical and surgical interventions, including 121 surgeries (with 103 eye surgeries), 1,513 dental procedures, and 897 eye care treatments, with 359 eyeglasses dispensed. A total of 1,807 consultations were conducted by a team of over 130 medical and 150 non-medical volunteers.
Executive Director of the Pistis Foundation, Mr Leonard Thomas, said the initiative underscores the power of compassion and collaboration in transforming lives.
“Each statistic represents a person whose life has been touched,” he said, expressing gratitude to partners, sponsors, and volunteers whose support made the outreach possible.
Thomas also called for greater government involvement in supporting free healthcare programmes, noting that many underserved Nigerians die prematurely not only because of poverty but also due to limited access to medical care.
“While we appreciate our partners and sponsors, the government must do more to sustain organisations that are complementing public health efforts,” he added.
Global Lead Pastor of The Elevation Church and Board Chair of the Pistis Foundation, Godman Akinlabi, commended partners and volunteers, noting that the programme continues to impact more lives each year.
The outreach was implemented in partnership with Pro-Health International, which served as the technical partner, providing medical expertise and coordinating volunteers, and Hospital for Trauma & Surgery (HTS) Clinics, which served as the hospital partner.
Head of the Consultation Unit at Pro-Health International, Mrs Joy Audu, said hypertension, diabetes, malaria, and childhood malnutrition were among the most common cases treated.
“Many patients had gone months without medication due to financial constraints,” she said, adding that some travelled from Ajegunle, Bariga, and even Ogun State to access free care.
