A coalition of non-governmental organisations, including Perfect Aesthetic Dental Clinic and Rotary Club, have provided free health care services to over 1,000 residents of Onigbongbo community in Lagos State.
Succour came the way of the residents when the NGOs carried out the healthcare intervention on Saturday at the Onigbongbo Primary Health Centre, offering them a number of free medical cares ranging from malaria testing, HIV screening, blood pressure checks, dental cleaning to tooth replacements.
A middle age man identified as Lukmon Adegbite is one of the beneficiaries.
Adegbite who relieved his painful battle with tooth decay for many years, lauded the NGOs for coming together to bring respite to him and other beneficiaries.
He thanked them for helping him to get tooth replacement.
Explaining the rational behind the intervention, the founder of Perfect Smile Health Initiative, Dr Precious Isogie, said the initiative sought to tackle the healthcare needs of the community, promote awareness and harp on the importance of regular medical checkups.
Isogie added that the goal is to reach as many people as possible and make a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of the Onigbongbo residents.
The dental surgeon also said that the initiative aims to create awareness about the importance of oral health and its relations to overall body health.
She disclosed that it is possible for a dentist to detect uncontrolled diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and even pregnancy through oral health.
According to her, the outreach would provide drugs for those in need and offer other medical services and referrals where necessary.
“The Perfect Smile Health Initiative is a nonprofit organisation that aims to provide free medical and dental services to communities in need. As a dental surgeon, I have seen firsthand the importance of oral health and its connection to overall body health. That’s why we are committed to creating awareness and providing education on proper oral health hygiene and disease prevention.
“Our outreach programme is designed to provide free medical and dental services to communities that lack access to quality healthcare. We believe that everyone deserves to have good health, regardless of their financial situation.
“In this outreach programme, we are providing free malaria testing, HIV screening, blood pressure checks, blood sugar checks, hepatitis B vaccination and testing, dental cleaning, and free tooth replacements. We are also providing free glasses and eye drops to those in need.
“We are passionate about what we do, and we are committed to continuing this outreach programme for as long as it is needed.
“We are already planning our next outreach program, which will focus on dental health. We hope to reach even more people and provide even more services,” she said
Also speaking, the president of the Rotary Club of Mende Midtown, Adewale Michael, said the initiative aligns with Rotary’s vision on maternal and child health, disease prevention, and control, even as he harped on the importance of collaboration for a far reaching impact.
Michael encouraged the community to take their health seriously and prioritise medical screening and testing.
“The Rotary Club of Mende Midtown is a humanitarian service club that is dedicated to making a positive impact in our community. When we heard about the Perfect Smile Health Initiative, we knew we had to get involved.
“As a Rotary club, we focus on six areas of focus, including maternal and child health, disease prevention and control, water and sanitation, education, economic development, and peace and conflict resolution. This outreach programme aligns perfectly with our focus on disease prevention and control.
“We are proud to partner with the Perfect Smile Health Initiative on this outreach program. Together, we can make a real difference in the lives of these residents,” he stated.
