A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), HACEY with support from IPRD Solutions under its Community Impact Health Program, has organised free eye tests and other medical tests for residents of the Elekoyangan community in the Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State.

While welcoming the HACEY team to Elekoyangan, the Alangua (community head), Alhaji Suib Akanbi, expressed gladness for the medical outreach brought to their community.

He emphasized the uniqueness of this particular one brought by the NGO when compared to other past health interventions in their community. He then encouraged his community members to further spread awareness about the presence of the team.

In his remark, the community President, Mallam Saka Saidu Kannike, eulogised the efforts and initiative of the HACEY team. He also expressed appreciation that their community was selected for the medical outreach and wished the team well in its endeavours.

The secretary of the community, Honourable Afolayan Afolabi, praised Ms Elizabeth “Libba” Affel and appreciated the HACEY team. He re-emphasized to the community members what the HACEY team has come to do and that the medical outreach is free and available to all without prejudice, saying: “Health is wealth.”

In his speech, Most Senior Apostle Samuel Ajadi said he was so glad HACEY brought the program to their community as it’s a comprehensive outreach that serves the young and old, women and men, and more because an eye test was involved.

While responding to their various remarks, the Executive Director of HACEY, Rhoda Robinson, appreciated the community head and members for accommodating the HACEY team and the support given in ensuring the success of the community health outreach.

She highlighted the various components of the health outreach to be conducted which include eye checks, malaria tests (those positive to be given ACT), blood pressure measurements, blood sugar tests and Body Mass Index (BMI).

Moreso, the Local Government Area Director of Nursing Services (DNS) and Immunization Officer (LIO), Mrs Adekunle Serah Olajumoke – who also represented the Local Government Transition Implementation Committee Chairman – gave a health talk on the need for community members to imbibe regular health checks, proper nutrition, hygiene and sanitation.

In addition, a consultant ophthalmologist at the vitreoretinal unit of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Dr. (Mrs) V.A. Olatunji, concluded the seminar session with a talk on eye care. She admonished the community members to prioritize care for their eyes and ensure prompt regular eye checks.

Oluwaseun Oladoye, the Project Manager, then supplied further information on the tests to be administered, the different test points and the modalities for it.

The five various medical tests were carried out on members of the community. For the eye test, community members with suspected eye conditions were identified after examination by the ophthalmologist and those requiring further examination were referred to the eye clinic at UITH for free screening with the state-of-the-art OCT (Spectralis) machine facilitated by HACEY and IPRD Solutions.

The HACEY and IPRD team present at the community health outreach are Rhoda Robinson, Oluwaseun Oladoye, Bamidele Oyewumi and Ms. Elizabeth “Libba” Affel. Eight medical volunteers and three general volunteers contributed their services to the outreach.

The outreach came to an end after an 8-hour medical service to the community.