Projects of Hope, a group of Nigerian medical doctors and nurses based in the United States, in partnership with Hope Ambassadors and Child Care Organisation, has feted people in Monkey Village, a community in Lagos, with food items during its medical outreach.
The group, whose vision is to support, empower and improve the lives of vulnerable and underprivileged indigenes of Southwest Nigeria, said they aim to help people transform their lives and fulfil their potential. The group, which include the President, Projects Hope, Dr. Olukemi Kuku; Mrs Adebisi Makinde-Odusola; Mrs Adenike Adeleke; Mrs Oluwakemi Subair; Dr.Olawunmi Ogunsemore; Ms Folashade Olasimbo; Mrs. Toyin Kuyoro and Mrs. Folake Anifowoshe. According to them, they would continue to mobilise other professionals in the diaspora to carry out healthcare outreach, educational/social support, food and housing, training and employment skills.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Dr. Kuku, said having already established a contact in the country, they would seek to attract more health professionals in the diaspora to come and contribute towards complementing the government’s effort in the health sector. According to her, “It is time for us to give part to society all what God has given to us to have and so we need to pay it back. We know you are now okay until your people are comfortable and that is what is prompting us to give back to rue society. Our project goes beyond just passing food to people; we hope to attract more health professionals considering our backgrounds. We are seriously looking at filling the gaps in the health sector in the country. With this we know a lot of people who do not know where to start. We are motivated to come in and fill up some holes in the sectors.”
On what specific areas in the health sector they would like to close the already existing gaps, she said the country ought to have gone beyond the point where people should be dying of certain ailments that can be handled at primary healthcare level. Responding, she said, “In basic primary healthcare, we know people do not go to hospital until they are at the point of death. They get to the hospital door and drop dead; that means they have waited too long. First they must begin to be doing the check-ups because when you hit a certain age, there are some things you should be doing, but people are not even aware. But also providing them with the equipment without first going to register for cards or pay money to have their blood pressure or sugar level.”
For Mrs. Oluwakemi Subair, a member of the group, said today’s event would help convince other health professionals in the diaspora to reconsider their belief about coming to help close some gaps in the health sector. “The reason why most of the country’s health professionals are leaving is clearly visible because government hospitals lack so many things and the doctors do not have enough equipment to do their job. For me, coming back to help the country is something I would do because we are trying to bring all our experiences together to help the less privileged in society beyond giving them food.”
For the Executive Director, Hope Ambassadors and Child Care Organisation, Mr. Taiwo Oluwu, the partnership will further help Nigerians in the diaspora see the gaps they can intervene. “These are health professionals from the United States and we are collaborating for greater growth as this is part of the Sustainable Development Goals. We know they are going to help us achieve more in the future.”