On Saturday, the Ifumsa Health Awareness Club, an organ of the Obafemi Awolowo University Medical Students Association, gave free medical care to residents of Osun State’s Ifewara community.
This free medical treatment was part of the club’s annual community outreach program, which strives to provide basic medical services to the less fortunate in society.
This year’s event, dubbed “Village Outreach,” took place in Ifewara town hall in the state’s Atakunmosa Local Government Area.
The outreach provided a variety of free medical treatments to the community, including day-case procedures such as lipoma excision and hernia surgery, health education, free drugs and consultations, dental checks, and eye care with free lens prescriptions by ophthalmologists, and various screenings including HIV, Hepatitis B, blood sugar, body mass index, urinalysis and malaria parasite tests for children.
Baruwa Tawakalt, the club’s chairman and a final-year medical student at the university, expressed her delight with the success of this year’s event and encouraged members to “continue the good work of the club.”
Tawakalt told the community that the club will continue to provide such assistance within its capabilities.
She also complimented the residents’ health-seeking behaviour and encouraged them to keep it up, and thanked the management of Jennifer Etuh Hospital for allowing the surgeries to be performed there.
Temitope Olatunji, Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee, said that organising the free healthcare service needs much organisation and financing.
Olatunji thanked the sponsors, non-governmental organisations, and surgical team for their assistance.
Additionally, the Assistant Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee, Damilare Osuntoye, stated that the outreach was a way for the students to give back to the community.
“The outreach is aimed at giving back to the community by providing free healthcare services, including free medications and consultations, dental checkups, eye care with free lens prescriptions by ophthalmologists, and screenings for HIV, Hepatitis B, blood sugar levels, body mass index, urinalysis, and malaria parasite tests for children,” Osuntoye said.