Medical outreach reaches over 4,000 Lagos residents

The Pistis Foundation has delivered 11,297 medical interventions to 4,135 beneficiaries during a five-day free medical and surgical outreach in Lagos, as it called for greater private-sector participation in addressing healthcare access gaps.

The intervention, which included surgeries, specialist consultations, diagnostic tests and medication, was provided during the UBOMI Medical and Surgical Outreach held from October 19 to 23 at Lifepointe Church, Lekki, The PUNCH learnt this in a statement on Monday.

The foundation disclosed the figures in a statement following the conclusion of the programme, which targeted underserved residents unable to afford essential medical services.

The outreach offered free consultations, specialist care, surgeries, eye and dental services, laboratory tests, diagnostic investigations and medications.

Speaking at a press briefing, the Global Lead Pastor of The Elevation Church and Founder and Board Chair of Pistis Foundation, Godman Akinlabi, said the intervention reveals the need for collective action to address Nigeria’s healthcare challenges.

He said the foundation was supplementing the efforts of government through partnerships and plans to mobilise additional resources for high-impact projects.

“With the help of God and partners, we are playing our part in supplementing the huge gap in the health sector. We believe that government alone cannot resolve this; we need all hands on deck, with many more well-meaning organisations, churches, mosques, enterprises and NGOs to be a part.

“The work of nation-building is a collective effort,” Akinlabi said.

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He also announced plans for The Elevation Church to establish a dedicated legacy organisation and fund to mobilise resources for major development projects, with the UBOMI outreach serving as an example of the initiative’s intended impact.

The programme was implemented in partnership with Pro-Health International, led by Iko Ibanga, and the Hospital for Trauma and Surgery, whose Medical Director is Hakeem Badmus.

The Executive Director of Pistis Foundation, Leonard Thomas, said the outreach demonstrated the impact of combining medical expertise with humanitarian support.

“The breadth and depth of impact witnessed during the UBOMI Medical and Surgical Outreach demonstrate what is possible when compassion meets clinical excellence,” Thomas said.

He said the initiative was designed to ease suffering and improve access to healthcare for people who might otherwise go without treatment because of financial constraints.

“No one should be left to endure pain, live with an untreated condition or forgo essential healthcare simply because they cannot afford it,” he said.

The foundation thanked its corporate partners, donors and other supporters for providing funding, medical equipment, supplies, meals, medications and diagnostic resources for the programme.

It said UBOMI had delivered more than 60,000 interventions over the years, as it continued to extend healthcare services to communities where access remained a challenge.