In a significant effort to promote health equity and raise awareness about tuberculosis, the NIMSA-IFUMSA SCOPH (Nigerian Medical Students Association – Ife Medical Students Association Standing Committee on Public Health), in partnership with Pioneer Medical Initiative (PMI) and Community Health Workers, recently organized a medical outreach in Ipetumodu and surrounding communities in Osun State.
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The outreach was promoted extensively through various platforms, including social media, reaching over 300 students on campus and effectively raising awareness about tuberculosis. During the event, 87 individuals benefited from free medical check-ups and tests, including blood pressure monitoring, fasting blood sugar tests, malaria tests, and HIV/AIDS tests. Attendees also received essential medications and were educated on hygiene and tuberculosis prevention.
The initiative identified potential tuberculosis cases early, collecting sputum from individuals with persistent coughs for testing. The outreach effort was especially impactful for older individuals, with 60-70% of beneficiaries falling within the 40-75 age bracket. Recognizing the importance of regular health check-ups, attendees were encouraged to prioritize their well-being and seek medical attention when needed.
The initiative received widespread appreciation from the community, with attendees expressing gratitude for the opportunity to access much-needed healthcare services and information. Amusan Sunday, one of the community members who came for the check-up, while expressing his delight said, ‘The free check-up initiative is very good, and I am very proud of it. Such a check-up, I have not come across it since I have been in this world. I was given the drugs that I would use. I complained of Malaria and headache, and did some screening tests, alongside my sugar level, and I am relieved that it was normal. I am a welder by occupation, and I was hoping to rest today, but upon hearing that there was an ongoing check-up in the community, that is why I came. And I am joyful that I came around’.
Speaking with another participant in the outreach, the aged woman said she was deeply happy. She went further to pray for the students, that God will continue to be with them, protect them while going out and coming in, and they will grow up and grow old. “When I explained all my complaints, I was asked to go rest, and sleep, and eat more fruits and vegetables,” she further added. ‘I was told my BP is high, and that my sight is dimming. Although I was given drugs, I was asked to go to the hospital for further check-ups’, another participant also commented.
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While the outreach, and its success, highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing public health challenges and the role of student-led efforts in promoting health awareness and education, there were certain challenges faced by the team.
Olusola Adebayo, representative of Pioneer Medical Initiative, expressed satisfaction with the outreach. ‘I would give it an 80 percent’, she said. She further hinted that the organization is open to partnering for similar initiatives aimed at ensuring that quality and affordable healthcare is made available to all.
Funmilayo Sopade, Local Officer IFUMSA of the NIMSA-SCOPH, recounted the success of the initiative and thanked God that it was successfully executed. She further also explained the challenges she faced in organizing it. ‘The major challenge we had was funding and enough human resources. As much as we were able to write to some stakeholders and organizations, we were not able to get enough funding so we were limited in our ability to purchase the medical supplies for the outreach. Also, due to the time frame for the project and school schedule, we went through quite a stress to get clinical students onboard for the project. But all in all, we bless God for the success of the project’.
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Also, Aluko-Olokun Kikilobaoluwa, Asst. Local Officer, while speaking with the news correspondent said, ‘It was a good outreach. well-executed despite the little hiccups we encountered in the planning. It was a success. I don’t know what I was expecting but I wanted a successful outreach and I believe we got one. The members of the community were happy to have us attend to them. That was nice and it made it feel like we were doing something important. It was a good experience’.