Children’s Day: NGOs offer free healthcare services to Lagos community kids

The Neo Child Initiative for Africa (TNCI) has partnered with the Ni’mah Andre Foundation to offer free essential healthcare services to some children in need in Ilasa community in Isolo area of Lagos State.

According to the partners, the outreach tagged ‘Reach out Ilasa’ was in commemoration of Children’s Day 2023, which was celebrated on Saturday.

In the course of the event, health and nutrition education were offered through songs and games. Also provided were free essential healthcare services such as nutritional assessment, deworming, malaria screening, medical and dental consultation, drugs, and relief hygiene packages.

The partners were able to reach over 200 children, and are hopeful that the intervention will build a bridge for further developmental activities and projects in the community.

The Assistance Health Lead of TNCI, Eunice Adeyeye, in her address, appreciated the Ni’mah Andre Foundation for providing the financial and technical support, as well as on-site coordination, for the event.

Adeyeye, while appreciating the turnout of the children and commending their parents for letting them attend the event, said Children’s Day is not just about fun and merriment.

She noted that the mission of TNCI is to invest in the future of Nigerian children by improving their access to healthcare and mentorship.

“While we are concerned about the fun life of children, we are more concerned about providing free access to healthcare and ensuring that all children have the gift of wellbeing and are given a chance to thrive,” she said. “Only a healthy child can have fun and thrive to his/her fullest potential.”

The Senior Programme Officer of TNCI, Esther Nwaiwu, stated that the average Nigerian child is greatly disadvantaged in their access to quality healthcare due to poverty.

She added that these are the gaps they have identified and are seeking to bridge so that each child can acquire the needed medical attention they need to thrive in their daily lives.

“We can only do much,” she said. “But we implore the government to intensify their efforts in ensuring that children get the best to prepare them for a full, healthy, and productive life.”

Faiza Adekoya, a health education student at the University of Lagos, spoke on how to stay healthy during the rainy season; while Al-ameen Kalejaiye, a final-year medical student of the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, spoke on hand hygiene, with a hand-washing demonstration for the children to observe and practice.