The Offa Descendants Union in North America (ODUNA), a non-governmental organisation and an affiliate of Offa Descendants Union (ODU) has commenced its annual free medical outreach to boost healthcare among the people of Offa and its environs.
The medical mission, which began in 2016 and now in its tenth edition, has no doubt witnessed unprecedented improvement in the healthcare standards and live expectancies of the people of Offa and other neighbouring communities.
The outreach is organised in collaboration with University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) Kwara State branch, Kwara State Action Committee for Aids (KWASACA) as well as Sakinah Medical Outreach.
Declaring open the 2025 annual medical outreach at the ODU Hall on Monday, January 13, 2025 , the Olofa of Offa, Oba Muftau Mohammed Gbadamosi Okikiola Ajagungbade i, Esuwoye ii, described the outreach as a blessing to the people of Offa.
Represented by High Chief Joseph Bayo Akinola, the Ojomu of Offa, Oba Gbadamosi said the Olofa-In-Council and the generality of the people of Offa would forever be grateful to members of ODUNA for their impact and value addition to healthcare delivery at the grassroots.
He specifically commended the volunteers, including doctors and nurses and other categories of healthcare practitioners for their selflessness, dedication and commitment towards improving the welfare and well-being of the people
The First Class traditional ruler expressed the continued support and collaboration of the traditional institution for the mission to make more meaningful impact on its set goals and objectives.
He prayed for more successes and achievements for the association and urged the beneficiaries to take good advantage of the healthcare mission to improve their health standards.
Dr Adegboyega Abdulkadir, the Medical Mission Committee Chairman, in his remarks, expressed happiness that the mission had achieved its set objectives since its inception in 2016 and still counting.
Abdulkadir, a Neonatologist and a Fellow of America Academy of Pediatrician, described ODUNA medical mission as a community outreach programme geared towards helping people that are lacking good healthcare or access to good healthcare.
“It is obvious that our health system is not in good shape.
“It is very deficient in many ways, structurally our system needs a lot of help and you also look at the availability of man-power to the community.
“Having gotten some advance training in medical fields and after visiting Offa few years ago, I noticed some deficiency and gaps.
“It is those gaps that we are trying to fill or reform through ODUNA medical outreach, ” he said.
The Chairman praised the dedication and commitment of the mission’s volunteers, collaborators and other stakeholders for their relentless efforts in the past ten years.
He disclosed that the outreach had been expanded and its scope widened to accommodate more fields of healtcare services and more beneficiaries.
Dr Abdulkadir identified structural organisation as one of the area of challenges being faced by the mission
He said the failure in the public health system had put enormous burden on the mission as it has continued to witness large attendance of beneficiaries yearly.
According to him, some of the outreach services are free medical screening and treatment, free eye test and glasses, free cataract and general surgeries, free dental care, free podiatry care (foot and anklecare), free physical therapy as well as free cancer screening.
The Chairman of the Medical outreach disclosed that quite uncountable numbers of specialised and general surgeries have been carried out since inception, including distribution of free eye glasses to deserving beneficiaries.
The entourage of the Olofa-In-Council was later showed round every department of the medical outreach led by Dr Abdulkadir and the Ojomu of Offa, High Chief Joseph Bayo Akinola.
Reacting to the 10th year anniversary of the medical outreach, Chief (Mrs) Wosilat Atinuke McCarty, praised the organisation and its members for their dedication and commitment towards improving health standards of the people.
“It has been a journey of satisfaction and fulfilment for ODUNA mission since inception ten years ago.
“We are very happy for the huge impact and successes recorded by the mission.
“Almighty Allah will continue to be with the organisation and the members and crown their efforts with more achievements,” she said.
On his part, Mr Taiye Olaniyi, an Offa Indigene and former staff of the Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) commended ODUNA for being sensitive to the plight of the people of the community, especially the less privileged.
He described the ODUNA medical outreach as a huge success with positive impact on the health of the beneficiaries.
Mr Olaniyi urged other individuals and groups to take a cue from ODUNA in contributing their quotas to the growth, progress and social economic development of Offa community.
Mr Monsuru Erinfolamin, Mr Bakare Azeez and Mrs Wulematu Ajiboye, all beneficiaries described the outreach as very beneficial and highly impactful.
The ODU Hall and its premises was full with large attendance of beneficiaries of the medical mission at the flag off on Monday in Offa.
The mission volunteers were seen at strategic locations directing the beneficiaries so as to maintain borderlines.
Men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps and the Federal Road Safety Corps were also on hand to give helping hands in maintaining security and orderliness.
Inside the hall are medical experts, professionals and volunteers from various medical fields attending to the need of the beneficiaries while those needing further medical attention were being referred accordingly.
(vitalnewsngr.com)
