HIV&AIDS awareness campaign at Oloye Group of School Lugbe Abuja and Okpo Ihechiowa Community Abia state
Medical Outreach at Sauka Community
On the 3rd of June 2011, a medical outreach was organized at Sauka community situated directly opposite the Nigerian Immigration Office, along the airport road, Abuja Municipal Area Council, FCT. Sauka village, Nigeria has an estimated population of 2, 500 rural dwellers, mostly farmers earning less than a dollar a day, hence over 85% of the settlers live below the poverty line as defined by WHO. It is a multi- tribal settlement; Hausa, Bwari and Bassa are the languages spoken. The community is ruled by a traditional chief who unfortunately passed on a few days before the project. The community as at the time of the project was yet to crown another chief. The chief however reports directly to the Local Government Council.
Unfortunately all the community can boast of are about eleven (11) privately owned chemists which can barely handle the diverse health needs of all in the community . There are no clinics or health care facilities. With all of this in mind, a need assessment survey was carried out via personalized interviews (PIs), focused group discussions (FGDs), constant visits to the community, as well as assessment on the supposed health facilities (chemists) in the community and the conclusion that a free healthcare programme in Sauka community was needed. This led to a strategically planned agenda for the design of free health care programme in Sauka community.
A One day free health care program (3rd June, 2011, chosen after consultation with the community leaders, youth and women groups), the health care programme consisted more of preventive rather than curative healthcare approaches. The programme involved engagement of qualified medical professionals and non-medical volunteers including;
Medical doctors
Optometrists
Pharmacists
Laboratory scientists
Nurses
Logistics personnel
Kitchen personnel
Transport personnel
Service providers to work in well defined units including
Medical consultation
Pharmacy
Deworming of children
Eye clinic
Diabetes screening
Dental care
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