Foundation Hosts Free Health Screening for Ikeja Residents

No fewer than 50 residents of Ikeja Local Government Area, Lagos State, received free medical services during an end-of-year community health outreach organised by the Elijah Tobi Obishakin Foundation.

The outreach, held near Ikeja Bridge, provided beneficiaries with free health screenings, medical consultations, prescribed medications, and meals. Tests conducted included checks for hypertension, malaria, peptic ulcer disease, blood sugar levels, and other basic health indicators, with medical professionals offering immediate diagnoses and health advice.

Participants commended the initiative, noting that it helped bridge critical healthcare gaps, particularly amid difficulties accessing public health facilities. One beneficiary, Kunmi Taiwo, said the screening revealed dangerously high blood pressure levels. “I wasn’t aware my blood pressure had risen so much. This check-up has really helped me and saved me money, especially given the current economic situation,” he said.

Another participant highlighted the impact of industrial actions in public hospitals. “Because of the strike in general hospitals, I haven’t been able to do any medical check-up. I’m grateful for this opportunity and for the medications provided,” she said.

Founder of the foundation, Elijah Obishakin, described the outreach as part of the organisation’s commitment to supporting vulnerable members of society. “It’s about touching lives and restoring hope. We want to ensure that youths, children, and women are well catered for, and we are simply doing our part,” he said.

Obishakin explained that the youth-led foundation, established three years ago at the MUSON Centre, Lagos Island, focuses mainly on health, education, and empowerment initiatives. While its primary beneficiaries are youths, women, and children, some programmes are extended to the elderly. He added that the foundation operates without external funding, relying solely on personal contributions from its members.

According to him, over 200 people have benefited from the foundation’s various interventions, including skills empowerment initiatives such as the distribution of sewing machines. “We hope to expand our impact and reach more people in the coming year,” he added.

The foundation conducts community outreaches on a quarterly basis, with plans to organise leadership training programmes in areas such as Ojolowo and Ikeja in February.

Beneficiaries left the event with food packs and prescribed drugs, describing the outreach as a timely and impactful intervention.