*Photo:The District Governor, Rotary International District 9127, Dr. Joy Nky Okoro (fifth left) with the President of the club, Rtn. Maha Altine Longe, club members and health workers during the outreach in Abuja*
The Rotary Club of Abuja Maitama has partnered with the Teen Ambassadors Foundation to provide free medical services to residents and workers across several districts of the Federal Capital Territory.
The programme, flagged off on Friday at the Cyprian Ekwensi Arts and Culture Centre in Area 10, Garki, will offer free consultations, screenings and treatment for various health conditions.
President of the Rotary Club of Abuja Maitama, Rt. Maha Altine Longe, said the outreach was part of Rotary’s efforts to support communities through healthcare intervention.
According to her, the initiative is designed to extend basic healthcare services to residents who may not have regular access to preventive medical care.
“Rotary is about action. It is about taking the resources, skills and time we have been blessed with and channeling them toward those who need it most,” Longe said.
“Today, that action takes the form of healthcare.”
She said the collaboration with the Teen Ambassadors Foundation demonstrates the importance of partnerships in addressing community challenges.
“This partnership is proof that when organisations come together with a shared purpose, we can achieve far more than we ever could alone,” she said.
Longe explained that the medical outreach would offer a range of services including eye examinations and the distribution of glasses, hepatitis screening and vaccination, malaria testing and treatment, blood pressure and diabetes checks as well as health education and counselling.
“Over the course of this outreach we will be offering free health consultations and screenings, eye checks and provision of glasses, hepatitis screening and vaccination, malaria testing and treatment, blood pressure and diabetes checks, health education and counselling, and the distribution of essential medications,” she said.
She stressed that preventive healthcare plays a critical role in improving community wellbeing.
“Your health is your wealth, and we are here to support you in safeguarding it,” she said.
Longe commended the medical professionals participating in the outreach, including optometrists and specialists handling hepatitis screening and vaccination.
She also acknowledged the contributions of sponsors, volunteers and members of the Rotary Club for supporting the initiative.
“I want to express my profound gratitude to everyone who has made this possible – our medical team, our partners at the Teen Ambassadors Foundation, our sponsors and every Rotarian and volunteer who has worked tirelessly behind the scenes,” she said.
Longe encouraged residents attending the outreach to cooperate with volunteers and follow instructions in order to ensure that all participants benefit from the programme.
“As we flag off this outreach, let us remember that even the smallest act of kindness can have a ripple effect,” she said.
“A consultation today, a medication given, a pair of glasses provided or a hepatitis vaccination administered are seeds from which healthier communities grow.”
The outreach is expected to serve residents from several districts across Abuja, including Area 1, Area 2, Area 3, Area 10 and Area 11, as well as nearby communities.