Orile Agege General Hospital (OAGH) has provided free medical services to more than 5,000 children over the past five years through its annual Back-to-School Medical Outreach programme.
The initiative, which caters to children between five and 15 years, is designed to promote their physical and psychological well-being while ensuring they are healthy and better prepared for the new academic session. Beneficiaries have received various services, including medical screening, free eyeglasses, ear syringing, dental scaling, counselling and other healthcare interventions.
The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Mrs. Olajide Dapo-Thomas, represented by Dr. Oladipupo Fisher, commended the hospital for sustaining the programme and giving back to the community. She praised the management and staff for their commitment to preserving lives and urged them to continue prioritising healthy living among children.
The Medical Director/CEO of OAGH, Dr. Iyadunni Bakare, said the programme began in 2022 with a target of 1,000 participants but recorded 1,350 beneficiaries in its first edition. She noted that the initiative has expanded over the years to cover services across Dental, ENT, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Social Welfare, Nutrition and Health Management Information System departments.
Chairman of the Lagos State Health Service Commission, Mr. Olukayode Oguntimehin, also praised the hospital for sustaining the outreach, describing it as an important social responsibility initiative. He encouraged the hospital to consider organising the programme more frequently to reach more children, while Commissioner I of the Health Service Commission, Dr. Abayomi Olubunmi Ogboye, stressed the importance of early detection of health conditions that could affect children’s development and academic performance.
The fifth edition featured medical consultations and screenings, psychological support, children’s presentations, an “Ewi” performance by Orisun Iye and a cake-cutting ceremony. Parents and programme partners expressed appreciation to the hospital for sustaining the initiative and called on other healthcare institutions to adopt similar programmes to improve children’s health and well-being.
