An NGO, The Untold Story Behind the Story (USBS) Foundation, on Friday, provided free medical services to residents of Kuchibi community in Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory.
The Executive Director, Ms Prominent Monday-Odin, said that the foundation carried out the medical outreach because of the lack of access of residents to healthcare facilities in the community.
The medical outreach with the theme “Closing the care gap: Kuchibi’s Transformative Medical Outreach”, was organised by the foundation with the support of the village chiefs, traditional and religious leaders.
Monday-Odin said that the outreach was to give immediate medical attention to the people, as well as educate them on the need to seek medical help and stop the practice of self-diagnoses and self-medication.
“The driving force behind this initiative is both simple and profound universal access to healthcare.
“In Kuchibi, like many underserved communities, medical resources are scarce, distance, poverty and lack of awareness creates barriers to accessing healthcare.
“This makes many people resort to self-diagnose and self-medication which is not right.
“The outreach is aimed at bridging these gaps and bringing immediate healing and a sense of belonging to those in need in the community,” she said.
She said that beyond medical care and administration of medications, the team would be sensitising and counseling the community members on lifestyle changes, and making referrals to hospitals for further medical evaluation.
She said that the outreach was not only about free medications but also about humanity, adding that medical counselors were available to give free consultations and free counseling.
Dr Gold Eromose, the lead of the medical team, said that a major medical discovery at the outreach was the high prevalence of malaria and high blood pressure.
“We have a concerning number of malaria cases prompting immediate intervention, and high blood pressure is affecting a substantial portion of the population.
“This shows the lack of health awareness amongst the community members,” she said.
She said that free medications had been given and referrals had also been given for further medical evaluation in hospitals.
Mr Muhammad Zaik, the representative of the Chief of the community commended the team for providing free medications, especially to the elderly and the sick.
Zaik appealed for the extension of the outreach time to late in the evening, this he said was to accommodate more members of the community who had gone out for their daily ventures.
Other beneficiaries who appreciated the foundation for the medical intervention called for its sustenance.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the medical team at the outreach included Doctors, Nurses, Community and Public health officers, as well as medical students.(NAN)
By Diana Omueza
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