Communal Health Support Scheme (CHSS) launches its Basic Healthcare Initiative to mark its 5th Medical Outreach

Communal Health Support Scheme (CHSS), a youth-led organization held its 5th medical outreach on Saturday, December 14th in Sagbokoji to provide over a thousand families with the access to basic, personal healthcare services and also launched its Basic Healthcare initiative to ensure basic healthcare services can be accessed by all.

Currently, the Nigerian healthcare system’s performance is ranked a drab 187 out of 191 by the World Health Organization, calling for the need to focus on basic healthcare to strengthen the health system and ensure that universal health coverage is achievable in the country. To see to this urgent need, CHSS has launched its Basic Healthcare Initiative to focus on basic healthcare being accessible to rural communities and those from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

The medical outreach was a comprehensive one as it covered the themes of wellness, hygiene, disease prevention, health promotion, sexual and reproductive health. The medical team, being led by Desire Uba ensured that over 110 adults were tested and screened for diseases, leading to individual medical consultation which was complemented with the distribution of drugs per individual diagnosis. In addition, approximately 20 pregnant women were given mosquito nets as a preventive measure against malaria. The Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Team also distributed LifeBuoy bar soaps and taught over a thousand children proper handwashing methods.

Aderinsola Adeyanju, a nutrition expert on the team also educated women on healthy diets and the best methods of feeding themselves and their children. This was followed by a comprehensive lecture delivered by Dr. Johnson from DKT International on consumer health and responsibilities, reminding the community that their health is in their hands. Importantly, the lecture focused on the use of family planning methods, including the use of condoms for men and Intrauterine Device (IUD) for women. Further to this, individual family planning counseling was given to those who requested.

To strengthen health systems, the health workforce requires some education to deliver appropriate care to the community. A workshop was delivered by DKT International to Sagbokoji’s Primary Healthcare Centre workers, explaining the best medical practices and better methods of supporting the primary healthcare centre. Though the Primary Healthcare center has necessary drugs available, there is still a need to ensure a constant supply of drugs and also provide water to the community. Mopelola Lauretta Hamza, the Executive director mentioned that her team will continue to appeal to external stakeholders for support, including the local government office of Amuwo-Odofin. A major impact change will encompass providing this community with potable water, remodeling and equipping the Primary Healthcare Centre is a to-do for the coming year, 2020.

Partners:

Cowrywise, Ameyaw Debrah, DoGood.Africa, DKT International Nigeria, Medglobe Volunteers, Tildacare, Pulse, BellaNaija, Lailasblog, GuardianLife, LifeBuoy.

Photography: Akinkunmi George and Ajibade Oluwatobi (TobiImages)

Reach us

Website: www.chsscheme.org

Email: [email protected]

A report by Adewunmi Salami

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