LAGOS/Nigeria: More than 400 people have benefited from a free medical outreach organised alongside a specialist foot and ankle surgical training programme at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos (NOHIL).
The programme, which began on Monday, August 10, is being conducted by NOHIL in partnership with Steps2Walk and the Global Health Charity and Training Foundation (GHCTF), with medical professionals receiving specialist training while members of the public access a range of free health services.
The outreach, supported by about 150 health volunteers, provided beneficiaries with blood pressure and blood glucose checks, prostate health screening, cholesterol testing, malaria parasite testing, hepatitis B screening and eye examinations.
Beneficiaries were also given medications at no cost and linked to the Lagos State Health Insurance Scheme for continued healthcare access.
At the specialist component of the programme, healthcare professionals were exposed to contemporary approaches to the management of foot and ankle conditions by an international faculty drawn from the United States, United Kingdom, Türkiye and Pakistan.
The training sessions, held at the Pavilion Hall of NOHIL, included lectures and clinical case presentations ahead of about 30 live surgical procedures scheduled for Wednesday, August 12, and Thursday, August 13.
Speaking at the commencement of the programme, the Medical Director of NOHIL, Dr Wakeel Lawal, said the training would enable Nigerian specialists to acquire knowledge and skills that could be applied in their respective hospitals.
Lawal said exposure to international practices could help increase the availability of specialised foot and ankle services in Nigeria and reduce the number of patients who may need to travel abroad for treatment.
Representing Steps2Walk, Dr John Lewis Ugbo said the organisation’s interest in the programme went beyond conducting surgical procedures to building local capacity for the long-term management of orthopaedic deformities.
He said Steps2Walk had provided medical supplies and equipment to support the programme and facilitate knowledge transfer.
Ugbo identified congenital clubfoot as one of the foot deformities requiring early attention, saying about three in every 1,000 births were affected.
He expressed concern about complications associated with neglected or poorly treated deformities in Nigeria and stressed the need for early identification, appropriate treatment and specialist training.
According to him, sustainable improvement in the management of orthopaedic deformities would require a combination of early intervention, specialist education and continued support for healthcare institutions.
Ugbo also said Steps2Walk was interested in developing a long-term partnership with NOHIL, including further training, provision of medical supplies and participation by international specialists in future programmes.
The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Dayo Lajide, commended Steps2Walk and GHCTF for supporting specialised orthopaedic care in the state.
Lajide described the collaboration with NOHIL as significant to efforts to improve access to specialist healthcare in Lagos.
Also speaking, Dr Adebayo Akintobi, who represented GHCTF, commended the hospital’s management and the volunteers who participated in the medical outreach.
Akintobi said the commitment of the volunteers helped the programme attend to a large number of beneficiaries.
The free medical outreach is scheduled to continue on Tuesday, August 11, at General Hospital, Somolu.
The programme combines specialist training and community healthcare services, with the participating organisations seeking to improve access to specialised foot and ankle care while increasing the capacity of Nigerian healthcare professionals.
