A non-governmental organisation, Amal Outreach, has launched a health facility called ‘Iyewo Clinic’, to promote the wellbeing of those in underserved areas and facilitate community development.
The facility, launched during the NGOs’ 2024 free medical programme in Lagos, is committed to screening diseases such as prostate cancer, cervical cancer, diabetes, hepatitis B and C, dental care, breast cancer, hypertension, HIV and vision care every month in different parts of the state.
Founder of the organisation, Dr Folake Kofo-Idowu, said the programme is for the benefit of market men and women, the underprivileged and, most importantly, those who are battling with one health challenge or another.
According to her, “it will save them the stress of going to queue at the hospitals, remove the cost of transportation, and then provide primary health care to them.
“Iyewo Clinic offers quality healthcare that goes beyond treating present ailments. The services are designed to promote long-term wellness and provide a mix of in-clinic, home care and telemedicine to cater for patients medical needs.”
While noting the significance of early diagnosis in effectively managing various medical ailments, Dr Kofo-Idowu stated that the organisation is dedicated to creating sustainable solutions to improve access to quality healthcare and create local employment opportunities for the youth, who will in turn contribute to the economic growth of the communities they serve.
A professor of Public Health Service, Lagos State College of Medicine (LASUCOM), Ololade Bright, said, “The initiative has been a dream of a young lady who had an experience of a family member who passed on due to a preventable disease like hypertension or diabetes that is chronic but can be managed for a long time if the patients adhere to care, preventive strategies and proper measures.”
She declared, “The initiative is a great development in the community because it provides people the opportunity to screen and know who is at risk as they get older because of their lifestyles and eating habits.”
Professor Bright, therefore, urged the people of the community to appreciate and buy into the outreach, so that the idea would not die, as well as encourage other youths to emulate such an initiative.
Dr Shade Disu, also a guest at the event, described the initiative as an intervention to provide access to basic healthcare with a small amount of money, urging individuals to adopt a healthy lifestyle, live as close to nature as possible, exercise and go for checkups, including early diagnosis, whenever the need arises.
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