FCT partners Rotary to enhance healthcare services in Kuje community

The Federal Capital Territory has partnered with the Rotary Action Group for Reproductive Maternal and Child Health (RMCH) to enhance healthcare services in the Kuje Area Council, providing medical outreach programmes and vital health services to residents in Jieda community.

The Coordinator of Reproductive Maternal and Child Health (RMCH) in Kuje Area Council, Iyabo Omotoke Balogun, during the outreach on Friday, explained that the partnership has enabled the council to conduct medical outreach programmes in the community.

She also disclosed that the outreach comprises various activities and services, including checking vital signs, measuring the arm circumference of children, conducting malaria tests, and providing routine drugs to patients, especially pregnant women.

Balogun stated that the outreach is aimed at creating awareness among community members about the importance of accessing healthcare services and preventive measures against diseases.

While the partnership has improved healthcare delivery in the area, Balogun noted that the council still faces challenges, particularly in terms of manpower.

She called on the government to improve the manpower situation in the health sector, particularly in primary healthcare facilities.

“The partnership between the Kuje Area Council and Rotary RMCH is a step in the right direction towards enhancing healthcare services in the area.

“With continued support and efforts to address the challenges faced by the council, the community can look forward to improved healthcare delivery,” she added.

Also speaking, the Rotary-RMCH Chief Midwife, Hannatu Dung, said the partnership between the Kuje Area Council and Rotary International to enhance healthcare services in the area is yielding positive results.

According to her, “The choice of Jieda community for this outreach is based on the fact that they are hard to reach.

“They have a health centre that is a little far away from them, and that is why we are taking these services to them.

“The outreach programme, which includes medical screenings and health services, aims to create awareness and improve the health needs of the community.”

Dung noted that the community’s environment makes it prone to mosquito breeding, which has resulted in a high number of malaria cases.

The outreach is part of a larger effort to provide healthcare services to hard-to-reach communities.

Dung also emphasised that the programme is not a one-time event, but rather an ongoing effort to provide healthcare services to the community.

“We do not come once and just stop,” she said. “We are here on average once a quarter, and to three or four communities in a quarter. And so, given the opportunity, we want to come back.

“Despite the challenges of reaching the community during the farming season, the outreach programme has attended to close to 200 people.”

Dung noted that the community members have expressed a desire for more frequent outreach programmes, particularly during the dry season when they are not busy with farming activities.

“The best time to come for outreach here is the dry season,” one community member told her. “Yes, when it is not the farming period. Then you will get a lot of people.”

The Kuje Social Mobilisation Officer, Umar Daudu Abdullahi, said the medical outreach in Kuje Area Council has brought joy to the community.

“I feel happy about it. When I heard that they were coming for medical outreach, I was very happy to work with them,” he said.

Abdullahi attributed the excitement to the community’s numerous health challenges and the fact that the outreach provides free drugs and medical services.

“We have so many challenges in our community when it comes to health. And if they help us by giving us free drugs and even checking vital signs, it is a step towards development.”

The Social Mobilisation Officer believes that the outreach has had a significant impact on the community, particularly for those who cannot afford medical treatment.

“It has impacted them because a lot of people were often sick and had no money to go for treatment. Many of them have now received free drugs, and they are happy.”

Abdullahi expressed gratitude for the programme and hopes it will continue to benefit more communities.

“All we want is for this to continue in other facilities or other villages so that they can also feel the impact of the council,” he said. “We are very happy and we pray that this will continue.”