BENIN- No fewer than 500 residents of Ogba community, near Benin City, Edo state, have received free medical care through an outreach organised by Beulah World Initiative, a non-profit organisation.
The event, which held at the Church of God Mission International, Open Gates Province, Ogba on Saturday featured eye tests and treatments, medical check-ups, sugar tests, HIV/AIDS tests, and blood pressure screenings.
The founder of Beulah World Initiative, Chichi Ononiwu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the organisation aims to provide primary healthcare and leadership development to underserved rural communities.
“This is basically to ensure that help gets to the grassroot, because at the moment, a very few communities in Nigeria have healthcare centres.
“A lot of communities are distressed healthwise, and people are struggling to get just daily food, how much more resources to get basic treatment in hospitals. So it is our desire to help them,” she said.
Ononiwu said her team, guided by God from Ogun State, found the community in urgent need of medical services after making enquiries.
Dr David Salami, a member of the medical team, expressed concern over the high prevalence of hypertension among community residents, including young people.
He attributed this trend to the challenging economic conditions in the country.
“Many of the residents were unaware of their health conditions, such as high blood pressure, hypertension, and diabetes, until they attended this programme.
“This highlights the need for more accessible healthcare services,” Salami said.
He also commended the church for facilitating the outreach and providing residents with the opportunity to receive essential healthcare services.
One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Helen Akanu appreciated the organisers, noting that many residents could no longer afford hospital services due to the economic situation.
Similarly, Mr Shettima Gadzama, a first-time recipient of free medical care, praised the organisers for their inclusivity, stating that he was treated respectfully in spite being a Muslim.
He called on well-meaning Nigerians to emulate the efforts of Bualah World Initiative and support the less privileged in the society.
The outreach concluded with the distribution of food items to widows and elderly women, along with the provision of free medications to those in need. (NAN)
