No fewer than 3,000 children are expected to benefit from the ongoing “Back-to-School” medical outreach organised by the Orile Agege General Hospital (OAGH) in Lagos.
The Medical Director and Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, Dr. Oluyemi Taiwo, said on Wednesday that the outreach, now in its fourth edition, was introduced to ensure children within and beyond the community return to school in good health.
Taiwo said the week-long programme which commenced on Aug. 11 would provide free medical services to children within the ages of five to 15 years.
She said the services including full pediatrics evaluation, eye evaluation, ear check, dental/oral check, nutrition/dietetics, social welfare service and inclusion of physiotherapy service would be provided for the first time.
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The news report that the programme has the theme: “Academic Excellence, The Way Forward.”
“This programme is a health promotional outreach targeted at meeting the school health needs of children in the community and is also a way of giving back to the community.
“Research over the years has shown that some children don’t perform well in school because of health challenges that keep them out of school and affect their performance in the class.
“Through this programme, such health challenges can be addressed and the children’s health status are ascertained before they resume for the new academic session in September,” she added.
The medical director commended her predecessor, Dr Sola Pitan, for flagging off the programme in 2022, noting that it had impacted positively on the health of children in the locality.
Taiwo commended the sponsors of the outreach, and also urged parents to prioritie their children’s health.
Also speaking, Dr Atinuke Onayiga, the Chairman, Lagos Health Service Commission, highlighted the importance of the outreach to the health and wellbeing of children.
Onayiga emphasised the need for children to be mentally and physically prepared, ahead of school resumption for good performance.
She advised parents to give proper attention to the health and wellbeing of their children always.
“For us to have a healthy nation, it must start with our children because they are the future and I must commend the medical director and her team for continuing the good vision of her predecessor,” she added.
Also, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Health, Dr Kemi Ogunyemi, commended the hospital management for making a deliberate effort to safeguard the health of children in the community through the programme.
A parent, Mrs Yetunde Lawal, applauded the hospital for rendering the various services to children at no cost, noting that her three children had benefit the programme from inception.