The Down Syndrome Foundation Nigeria (DSFN) has flagged gaps in access to healthcare and persistent stigma facing people with Down Syndrome, calling for greater attention to their health and wellbeing as it marked its 25th anniversary.

The Foundation made the call during a two-day free medical outreach held at its headquarters in Fagba, Lagos, where children and young adults with Down Syndrome, their families and members of the public received health checks and medical assessments, among others.

A family physician with the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Dr Joseph Esuola, said the exercise showed that some of the participants had health needs beyond Down syndrome, with cases including stroke and hearing-related conditions identified during the screening.

Esuola said the exercise also demonstrated the importance of a broader approach to healthcare, noting that family medicine involved considering not only a patient’s specific medical condition but also the psychological and social circumstances surrounding the individuals.

Also, a medical scientist and microbiologist, Adeniyi Ajala, stressed the importance of early detection, particularly for children who might have difficulty communicating what they were experiencing.

Similarly, Head of the Educational and Social Services Unit of the Foundation, Sunday Ojo, said the outreach was organised as part of activities marking DSFN’s 25th anniversary and as a way of giving back to society.

Ojo said the Foundation’s objective extended beyond people with Down Syndrome to improving the health and wellbeing of the public, particularly children and young adults living with disabilities.

Meanwhile, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of DSFN, Mrs Rose Mordi, said the outreach was also designed to reach people with Down syndrome who could not afford regular hospital care.

Mordi said the 25th anniversary provided an opportunity for the Foundation to give back to society while drawing attention to the need for greater access to healthcare for vulnerable citizens.

She stressed that healthcare should be accessible irrespective of an individual’s social or economic status and called for greater government attention to the healthcare needs of underprivileged groups.

The Deputy Chairman, Board of Trustees of DSFN, John Agboola Odeyemi, said that government at the federal, state and council levels had a responsibility to contribute to the welfare of citizens.

He, however, stressed that the Foundation was not established to depend on government, noting that cooperation among government, organisations and individuals was necessary to improve the welfare of citizens.