LASG, foundation partner on free medical outreach

Poised to assist as many Lagos residents as possible with various health challenges, the Onome Omobolaji Obada Foundation (OOOF) partnered with Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on a one-week medical outreach at Military Hospital in Ikoyi, Lagos.

According to the founder and convener, United Lagos and chairperson of OOOF, Votu Obada, the foundation was created to honour and immortalise his late sister, who died from sickle-cell disease.

He said, “We brought the outreach to Lagos at the governor’s behest and also because we know people often neglect their health due to the busy lifestyle here. This is the third edition, but our first time in Lagos.”

Obada said the one-week outreach saw over 5,000 people and covered hundreds of surgical operations, eye surgeries, dental work, and routine checkups, while more severe cases were referred to specialist hospitals. He mentioned plans to broaden their scope by partnering with international cardiac doctors to address cardiac issues as well.

“We worked with United Lagos and the Military Hospital on this project. I must also thank Governor Sanwo-Olu, who insisted we come to Lagos. It was his idea, and he supported us all the way. We hope to take this to at least 10 locations across the state next time. I’m calling on well-meaning Nigerians to take up different projects across the board to help one another; the future is about collaboration,” he said.

Project coordinator Chidi Nwakpa noted that the turnout was impressive and that they attended to everyone to the best of their abilities. “This outreach has been very impactful because we saw people battling health issues for years but couldn’t do anything about it due to lack of funds. People came from as far as Delta, Ibadan, and Osun states to be here; it humbled us greatly,” he said.

Adebayo Bolatito, who underwent a fibroid operation, shared that she was originally supposed to have surgery at Military Hospital in Ibadan. “The woman I was supposed to meet there told me they were doing a free outreach in Lagos and advised me to go, and the rest is history.” Adebayo revealed she was told she needed surgery a year ago after undergoing an abdominal scan due to continuous pain. “I was told I would need N500,000 for the fibroid operation, which I didn’t have, but my mother told me a miracle would happen.”

Praising the organisers, she thanked them for their benevolence and philanthropy. “When I was told I needed surgery, I was so afraid, not just of the operation but of the costs. We hadn’t even eaten—where would I get half a million from? They saved my life,” she said.

Another beneficiary, Rukayat Yakub, who also underwent fibroid removal, said she had been battling the ailment for over two years with no help. A mother of four, she struggled to get by and couldn’t afford hospital visits, but when the pain became unbearable, she sought help from a matron. “I was told I needed urgent surgery, but when I told my husband, he said he couldn’t afford the operation, which was estimated at half a million naira. Shortly after, my brother alerted me to this outreach, and he brought me here himself.”

She thanked the Lagos State Governor and the foundation for coming to her aid, as well as the other beneficiaries.

Tolu Daramola, another beneficiary, expressed her gratitude to the organisers. “I was told there was a complication, but they even took care of that. I had been managing fibroids for about two years but started having complications late last year and was told I needed urgent surgery because I wouldn’t stop bleeding. I bled so much that my blood count dropped to 19 percent, and they couldn’t do surgery because of this. Last month, I finally got it up to 30 percent, and coincidentally, this opportunity came up. When I initially cost the procedure, I was told I would need half a million—N350,000 for the surgery and N150,000 for post-op care. They did everything for free. I cannot think of a bigger miracle than this and say thank you to them because they practically saved my life,” she said.