By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA – The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), City of God Parish, has appealed to government and private stakeholders to urgently strengthen primary healthcare in rural communities, warning that continued neglect of grassroots health systems could weaken national wellbeing and increase healthcare costs in the long run.

The appeal was made during the church’s Yuletide medical outreach programme held in Kabusa, Abuja. The Pastor-in-Charge of the parish, Pastor Gbolade Okenla, and the church’s Medical Director, Dr Theophilus Ado, spoke at the event.

Pastor Okenla said the outreach, which featured free medical services alongside the distribution of food items, benefited about 6,000 people in rural communities.

He said the programme aligned with the vision of the church’s General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, to extend care and compassion to underserved populations during the festive season.

“The government should please partner with genuine bodies that have genuine concern for the people then we would be able to reach out,” Okenla said.

He noted that stronger collaboration between government and credible faith-based and civil organisations would help bridge existing gaps in healthcare delivery, especially in remote and underserved areas.

Also speaking, Dr Ado said investing across the healthcare chain, from primary to secondary and tertiary care, would reduce public spending by prioritising prevention and early treatment rather than costly interventions.

“If we don’t do that, we go from prevention to caring, and caring is more expensive,” he said.

Dr Ado identified healthcare financing as a critical challenge, stressing that many Nigerians are unable to access basic medical services due to cost. He called for a domestic health insurance scheme designed to serve the average citizen.

“The most important thing is healthcare financing; we need a domestic health insurance for the average person,” he added.

During the outreach, residents of Kabusa community received medical tests and treatment for upper and lower respiratory tract infections, hypertension, malaria, skin and eye conditions, as well as screening for diabetes, hepatitis and HIV.