A Bauchi-based Non-Governmental Organization, Radiant Care Foundation (RCF), on Saturday, organized a free medical outreach for 100 beneficiaries, mostly people with special needs in Bauchi community.
The free medical outreach was organized for residents of Anguwan Makafi within Bauchi metropolis, Bauchi LGA, as part of giving back to the community under Project THRIVE.
Speaking at the free medical outreach, the Executive Director of the Foundation, Aliyu Miriam Ohunene, explained that, “We came to reach out to the people to help them and to check their medical status, to know their health status and everything concerning their body, so we can diagnose, help them and give them medications.”
She added that, “We’re checking things like malaria, their blood pressure, their vital signs, HIV tests and everything. Our target is 100 people today. We are also helping children, but today our target audience are adults, but then we’re also including little children today.”
The ED further said, “There are many reasons, but then one of them is because of the lack of attention, there’s a disconnection between the community, the local community, and the healthcare system, because some people will not be able to afford medications for minimal things that they have, like a headache or malaria. So we look for an environment where they need those kind of supports and help, and then we can do the little that we can because of the disconnection between the medical sector and the local communities.”
Aliyu Marian who is a Nurse added that, “Some of them do not understand the importance of these medications and help, or health. They don’t understand the importance of healthcare, so they may think it’s something minimal. So we’re helping them check their vitals just to make sure, ensure that they are okay and they have a good quality of life.”
According to her, “My expectation is that at least 100 people or more would have basic knowledge about their health and the necessary medications needed for them to be able to have a quality life will be provided, and then we educate them on how to live a continuous healthy lifestyle.*
“So, at the end of this programme, I would expect that 100 people or more would be able to say, okay, I understand to an extent what the health sector is about, the medications I should take, and I know my health status to an extent now, and they will be satisfied with how they feel and feel good about their body.”
While introducing the programme,Deputy Executive Director, Radiant Care Foundation, Daniel Aliyu, said, “Project THRIVE 1.0 is a humanitarian medical outreach initiative of Radiant Care Foundation (RCF) designed to bring essential basic healthcare services closer to underserved and vulnerable members of the community.”
According to him, “The inaugural outreach focuses on 100 persons living with visual impairment in Bauchi, providing them with access to basic medical screening, malaria testing and treatment, vital signs and blood glucose checks, medical consultation, prescribed medications, and malaria prevention support through the distribution of Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs).”
He added that, “Objectives of Project THRIVE 1.0 is to provide accessible basic healthcare services to vulnerable members of the community. To identify common health conditions early through basic medical screening and assessment and provide appropriate medical treatment and essential medicines to beneficiaries based on clinical assessment.”
He also said that it is to support malaria prevention and treatment through testing, appropriate treatment and LLIN distribution.
To identify beneficiaries requiring further medical care and facilitate appropriate referral.
The project is also to promote health equity and dignity by ensuring that persons living with visual impairment are not left behind in accessing essential healthcare services.
While declaring the free medical outreach opened, the Deputy Director, Primary Healthcare, Bauchi LGA, Mohammed Rashid Aliyu commended the Foundation for organising the free medical outreach in the community.
He said that the outreach was coming at the right time considering the medical needs of the residents who are mostly PWDs.
He assured that government will continue to collaborate with organizations that are complementing what government is doing in the health sector.
The Deputy Director urged the beneficiaries to seize the opportunity and get tested after which they will be given the required medical attention through provision of drugs after diagnosis.
In his remarks, representative of the Sarkin Makafi, Abdullahi Jibrin, commended the Radiant Care Foundation for bringing the free medical outreach to the community which he said has been left behind in that respect.
He added that because of the particular nature of the residents been PWDs, accessing medical services has remained the major setback of the community.
He called on the government to pay special attention to the community in order to make them have a sense of belonging as citizens of the country and state.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke variously commended the free medical outreach saying that it will go a long way in ensuring that they received the required medical attention in spite of their disabilities.
They however called for more attention from government and other relevant organizations in order for them too to have a feeling of attention and presence.
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