Health
Ogun residents seek support as 250 benefit from health outreach
Jesuferanmi Adeeko
More than 250 residents of Davol Community along Idiroko Road, Ota, Ogun State, have benefited from a free medical and welfare outreach organised by the Beulah World Initiative.
The intervention, held on Saturday, was targeted at residents who organisers said faced difficulty accessing healthcare and meeting other basic needs amid rising living costs.
The outreach featured medical consultations, screening for chronic conditions, HIV testing, paediatric deworming, health education and the distribution of prescription drugs. Food packs and clothing were also distributed to vulnerable residents.
Speaking during the programme, the founder and coordinator of BWI, Chichi Ononiwu, said the initiative was designed to bring healthcare and other forms of support closer to underserved communities.
Ononiwu said, “Our mission at Beulah World Initiative has always been to bring hope, healing, and tangible relief directly to the doorsteps of those who need it most.
“Seeing the overwhelming turnout at the Davol Community Outreach today reminds us of the critical gaps in grassroots healthcare, but seeing the smiles on the faces of the mothers, children, and elderly residents fills our hearts with immense gratitude.”
A medical volunteer with the organisation, Matron Olubunmi Abatan, said the team attended to residents for several hours, including those who presented with high blood pressure and other health complaints.
Abatan said the experience was particularly rewarding when residents who appeared weak or unwell responded to treatment and stabilisation.
For some residents, the intervention provided access to services they said they had struggled to afford.
A mother of three, Mrs Shade Alao, said the cost of healthcare and medication had become difficult for her family to bear.
She said the free medical checks, drugs, deworming of her children and food support provided some relief.
Another resident, Mrs Olabisi Kolawole, said the opportunity to undergo an HIV test was particularly important to her, noting that access to such services had previously been difficult.
She said, “Being able to get HIV tested today was a huge relief, as it has been difficult to access that to date.
“Taking my children to the clinic for deworming and general checkups is usually a big financial burden for us right now with the current economic situation. Getting it done today for free, along with food items, is a massive relief for my family.”
An elderly resident, Pa Samuel, who received eye drops during the exercise, said a longstanding eye infection had affected his vision and made movement and reading difficult.
He said the medication provided by the medical team offered relief from the financial burden of seeking treatment.
Beyond treatment, the organisers also provided health education, including guidance on diet and lifestyle choices for managing conditions such as high blood pressure.
A local artisan, Emeka Okafor, who attended the session, said the health talk helped him better understand how lifestyle changes could complement medical treatment.
The initiative comes against the backdrop of concerns over access to affordable healthcare among low-income households, particularly as the rising cost of medicines and medical services puts additional pressure on families.
While community-based medical outreaches can provide immediate relief, sustained access to affordable primary healthcare remains critical to ensuring that residents do not depend solely on periodic interventions.
The organisers said the outreach formed part of BWI’s efforts to extend healthcare and welfare support to underserved communities in Ogun State and other parts of the country.
They called for continued support from public and private donors to enable the organisation to reach more communities.
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