By Dayo Johnson Akure

A Non Governmental Organisation, NG O, under the auspice of Oba Micah and Olori Moronke Ajijo Foundation, has provided free medical services to over 1,000 indigent residents of the state and donated a 4D ultrasound Doppler machine to the Ondo State General Hospital, Igbokoda

Yetunde Obuotor, the president of the foundation, while speaking during the donation, said that the equipment was donated to help save lives.
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‎According to her, the 4D ultrasound Doppler machine would not only strengthen diagnostic capacity but also improve healthcare delivery in the area.
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‎”An ultrasound machine is not just a piece of equipment, it is a lifeline. It plays a crucial role in maternal and child health, emergency care, and early detection of medical conditions,” she said.

Also a free medical outreach which was held in the Ilaje Local Government Area, attracted beneficiaries from more the town and beyond as residents trooped out to access healthcare services for various ailments.
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‎The foundation secretary board of trustees, Folashade Ajijo, said the initiative was inspired by the legacy of their parents, natives of the community who were committed to community service and empowerment.
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‎Ajijo explained that although the family had been involved in philanthropic activities for several years, the foundation was recently formalised to ensure accountability, structure and sustainable impact in the communities it serves.
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‎According to her, the foundation’s focus spans key sectors such as health, education and livelihood, with the medical outreach designed to bridge healthcare gaps in rural and riverine areas of the state.
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‎”The mission of our foundation is to empower underserved people in the Ilaje area of Ondo State and in Nigeria generally. Our mission is to touch several areas. We want to see how we can improve access to quality education.
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‎”You can see what we are doing here today. it is really focused on health, but we are also interested in livelihood. We are interested generally in how we can contribute our own part and play our own part in empowering underserved people.”
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‎Giving details of the medical outreach, the doctor in charge of the outreach who was also the Public Secretary of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Ondo State, Dr Babatunde Akinbinu, said the exercise was structured to address both acute and chronic medical conditions common among residents.
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‎Akinbinu said that beneficiaries were screened and treated for ailments such as hypertension, diabetes, malaria, peptic ulcer, eye-related conditions, among others with the support of specialist doctors, including a consultant ophthalmologist, nurses and other healthcare professionals.
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‎He said over 40 healthcare workers, drawn from within and outside the local government area, participated in the outreach, ensuring services were provided for geriatric, adult and paediatric patients.
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‎According to him ” free drugs were dispensed to beneficiaries to last between one and two weeks, while arrangements were being considered to support patients requiring further medical or surgical intervention, subject to available resources.
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‎He said that the foundation spent millions on the medical outreach and equipment donation, adding that all services and drugs provided during the programme were offered at no cost to beneficiaries.
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‎He added that patient data were captured for follow-up care in collaboration with the General Hospital, primary healthcare authorities and relevant health insurance agencies to ensure continuity of care, especially for patients with chronic illnesses.
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‎Akinbinu lamented that lack of sustained treatment often forces patients to abandon medication or resort to unsafe traditional remedies, leading to preventable complications and deaths, a situation the foundation aims to prevent.
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‎He said that the foundation plans to make the medical outreach an annual intervention, while exploring partnerships with state and federal health insurance schemes to expand coverage and improve long-term healthcare access for vulnerable residents.
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‎He said “We are taking data of everybody we are seeing today. We are taking names, addresses, and the illnesses we are treating, and we are keeping backups of all these records.

“We will relate this information to the General Hospital and the Primary Health Care Authority to see how follow-up care can be provided.
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‎”Healthcare is not a one-off thing. For simple illnesses like malaria, that may be enough, but for chronic illnesses like diabetes and hypertension, people need care for a long time.

“When resources are not available, people may stop using their drugs or turn to unscientific traditional or herbal remedies, which are often unsafe.
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‎”This usually leads them back to the hospital when their conditions have worsened, sometimes resulting in death.
‎That is what we are trying to avoid.

” We want to take care of people early, identify those with such illnesses, and manage them properly.”
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‎Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, described the medical outreach and the donation of the ultrasound machine as a major boost to healthcare delivery in the state, noting that it would strengthen diagnostic services at the Igbokoda facility.
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‎Speaking through the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, Aiyedatiwa stressed the need for proper use and maintenance of the equipment describing the donation as a valuable investment that must be preserved to ensure long-term benefits for patients.
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‎Also speaking, the Chief Medical Director of Igbokoda General Hospital, Dr Edino Ezekiel, said the donated ultrasound machine would significantly improve service delivery at the hospital, describing it as one of the most advanced diagnostic tools available in the area.
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‎He explained that the Doppler-enabled ultrasound allows detailed examination of blood vessels, soft tissues and vital organs, making it useful for antenatal care, abdominal scans and cardiac assessments.

The equipment, according to him would reduce the need for patients to travel long distances for specialised diagnostic services.

With this, the Igbokoda General Hospital would serves communities across the local government and neighbouring riverine areas.