Sodiq Ojuroungbe
A Non-Governmental Organisation in Ogun State, Adebiyi Abeeb Foundation has organised a free medical outreach for six rural communities that have historically struggled with limited healthcare facilities.
The outreach, which was conducted in partnership with a team of volunteer doctors and nurses, provided essential medical services such as consultations, vaccinations, and health screenings for residents of Ibo-Joga, Iju, Sunwa, Ishaga-Orile, Imasayi and Ibeshe in the Yewa North Local Government Area of the state.
Some beneficiaries, who claimed they had never received professional medical care, were grateful for the free healthcare service.
PUNCH Healthwise reports that the agrarian communities lack access to equipped and functional hospitals, which has led to preventable deaths.
According to some of them who spoke with our correspondent, they usually travel several kilometres to Abeokuta before accessing proper healthcare, revealing that this has made most of them resort to using herbs when sick.
One of the community heads, Chief Adedigba Odunlami said access to healthcare is challenging, especially for underprivileged ones in the area.
While appreciating the NGO for bringing the health programmes to the community, he appealed to the state government to help rehabilitate and equip the hospital in the area.
“You need to take a look at the hospital we have here, it is not conducive at all. We hope the government will come and do something tangible here.”
Another resident, Mrs. Basirat Obadina claimed that the Federal Medical Centre annex in one of the communities has no functional surgical department.
She said, “There’s no good hospital in this community. An accident occurred here in Ibooro about last year and we tried to rescue the victim who was bleeding profusely. On our way to Ijaiye Hospital in Abeokuta from Ibooro, the man died.
“The Federal Medical Centre we have in Joga-Orile can’t admit a patient who wants to undergo a cesarean section
“If we have anyone that is ill in this community, if we want the best treatment for him, that means we will have to travel down to Abeokuta.”
She, however, expressed appreciation to the NGO for bringing the programme to the community.
Meanwhile, the founder of the NGO, Abeeb Adebiyi, said the medical outreach was aimed at addressing the dire need for healthcare services by people in the remote villages, which have long been neglected by the government.
He revealed that the NGO discovered the poor health condition of the people in the communities during an educational outreach some months ago.
AdebiyiHe explained, “During that period, we saw aged people who were battling with diseases which N2,000 can cure but because of negligence, little diseases like malaria are lead to other chronic diseases”
He revealed that medical tests carried out showed that the residents mostly suffer from diseases like High Blood Pressure, typhoid, Strokes, eye problems and malaria.
“We are not only developing these communities but want to also improve the development of their health and there is a need for the government to equip more facilities in hospitals in the rural areas,” he added.
Also, the Executive Director of the Foundation, Abdulateef Akinsowon lamented that residents in rural communities suffer a lack of access to basic amenities like water, hospitals and schools.
He frowned against efforts made by the government to focus on developing urban areas while neglecting rural communities, describing it as pathetic.
“People here are majorly farmers not into mechanised farming, they will always use their manpower to do everything and you can’t expect them not to have issues. Some health issues they face are bone-related, and High Blood Sugar
“Gone are those days when the government had a whole package for rural dwellers; there used to be a ministry for rural development but unfortunately, the rural dwellers have been thrown to the back, they don’t feel any government’s presence again.”
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